The Ministry of Energy in conjunction with the Israel Electric Corp. has completed plans to take over the Arab-owned East Jerusalem Electric Corp, after negotiations between the government and the Arab company broke down.
The East Jerusalem company’s franchise from the government is due to expire at the end of this month. The government announced a year ago it wanted to take over the company because of the poor quality of its service. Under the franchise which it received during the Jordanian regime, the East Jerusalem utility serve most consumers on the West Bank. After the Six-Day War it served Jewish consumers including the new neighborhoods built in Jerusalem.
This has put a considerable burden on the antiquated power plant in East Jerusalem. Jewish consumers often complain of power failures, implying that the Arab company was causing them on purpose. Although no evidence was suspicions, the government was determined not to renew the franchise.
However, following protests by both Arabs and Jews, including Mayor Teddy Kollek of Jerusalem, the government entered negotiations aimed at increasing its control of the company without a total take-over, Those negotiations failed, and it appears that by Jan. 1 the take-over will become a fact.
SEVERAL POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS FORESEEN
The Arab directors of the company which include Board chairman Anwar Nusseibeh, a former Jordanian Defense Minister who lives in East Jerusalem, are now considering their reaction. Government sources are preparing for several possible developments, among them the possibility of sabotage on the part of the Arabs operating the East Jerusalem power plant.
According to the government’s plan the workers will be allowed to quit when the franchise is transferred to the Israel Electric Corp. Despite the precautions for a takeover, sources at the Energy Ministry said it was still possible that the Cabinet would rediscuss the entire issue. Several Ministers have criticized the plans to take over the Arab company because of possible international repercussions.
Energy Minister, Yitzhak Modai, told reporters today that his efforts to reach a compromise were fruitless. Nusseibeh said that the Board of Governors took every possible step to avoid a confrontation.
“We have done everything we can in order to make it easy for the Israeli authorities to continue our operation unhampered by any steps such as the one which they have taken,” Nusseibeh said.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
