Israeli Supreme Court states Israel has no obligation to provide electricity to Gaza and the petition demanding it do so is non-justiciable,
The Supreme Court rejected the petition demanding the restoration of electricity to the Gaza Strip this afternoon (Thursday)
Supreme Court Justice Alex Stein wrote, “From a legal perspective, it is clear that the State of Israel is not obliged to provide electricity to the Gaza Strip, for money or for free.”
He went on to explain: “Israel does not have legal sovereignty over the Strip,” adding that “our enemies, who claim sovereignty over the territory of the Strip, have launched a brutal war against us, partly fueled by electricity, which has claimed many victims among us.”
“The supply of electricity to the Strip is entirely at the discretion of the government. In my opinion, the manner in which such discretion is exercised is inherently non-justiciable.” Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg added, “It is doubtful whether the issue is justiciable; the very discussion of the petition creates the impression that it is justiciable.”
Last month, Energy Minister Eli Cohen signed an order to stop the flow of electricity to the Gaza Strip, which was to be implemented immediately.
Until the Energy Minister’s order to stop selling electricity to the Strip, Israel had only transferred electricity directly to a desalination plant in the center of the Gaza Strip.
