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Gaza fishermen head to sea after Israel expands fishing zone Israeli electric company cuts Palestinian supply due to debt
(35 minutes later)
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Gaza fishermen returned Monday from a 15-hour sail to sea after Israel expanded the coastal strip’s fishing zone from six to nine nautical miles. JERUSALEM — Israel’s state electric company says that it has begun to scale back its electricity supply to Palestinian cities because of unpaid debt.
The head of the Gaza fishermen’s union Zakareya Bakr said haul was still rather paltry, with some 280 boats snatching up an average of eight kilograms (17 Ibs.) each. He said the catch included red mullet, sea bream, grouper and some small rays. The Israel Electric Corporation said Monday it was cutting its supply to Bethlehem in half after taking a similar step with the city of Jericho. It said it would do so in other places over the next two weeks.
To prevent squabbling over fishing rights, Hamas — the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza — ordered that whoever reaches a new spot first can claim fishing rights in the area. The company says that the Palestinian authorities have racked up a debt of 1.74 billion shekels ($460 million). Israel has thus far continued to provide electricity out of concern for the Palestinian population. But the company said it could no longer absorb the debt and was taking measures to stop it from growing further.
Israel set a three-mile limit in 2007 after Hamas seized Gaza from forces loyal to Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in bloody street battles. It expanded it to six after an eight-day war with Hamas in 2012 and the new maritime perimeter expands the fishing zone an additional three miles off parts of Gaza.
“Fishing in six miles is like fishing in a swimming pool,” said fisherman Shaker Salah. “Expanding it provides an open space, which is better.”
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.