HAMAS: SALARIES PROBLEM INITIATES DIFFICULT STAGE
Gaza, 12 Sha’ban 1435/10 June 2014 (MINA) – Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas political bureau member, Monday demanded the Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to pay salaries of employees immediately.
Hailing Qatar for offering the unity government funds, al-Hayya called on all Arab countries to provide a safety net for the government, Al-Resalah quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.
In a news conference held Monday morning, al-Hayya said: “We did not expect salaries problem would be the first obstacle in the way of consensus government and livelihoods of thousands of people to be threatened “, noting that Ahamdallah government did not improve disposition towards its employees and its people.
He noted that such problem initiates difficult stage as many statement made by PA officials indicate the intentions toward implementing what has been agreed upon are not good. Several Banks in the Gaza Strip remained closed on Monday as a crisis which began last week over salaries continues to challenge the newly formed unity government.
As thousands of civil servants rushed to ATM machines to receive their salaries.The crisis began on Wednesday (4/6).
Hamas employees of the newly formed government were angered to find out they had not been paid, with Hamas-affiliated police officers preventing other PA employees from collecting their wages.
Hundreds of PA employees gathered near the Bank of Palestine in Gaza City to protest against not being unable to withdraw their salaries, Monday (9/6).
Gaza police have deployed around banks and ATM machines to prevent non-Hamas affiliated employees from retrieving their salaries until a solution is worked out.
Since the political division between Hamas and Fatah began in 2007, Hamas carry on government in the Gaza Strip with its own civil service.
During this time, however, the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority has continued paying its employees in the Gaza Strip.(T/P01/P04/E01).
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
