JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's state electric company says that it has begun to scale back its electricity supply to Palestinian cities because of unpaid debt.

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.

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.