SWISS DELEGATION ARRIVES IN GAZA, HOLDS TALKS WITH HAMAS

Gaza, 4 Jumadil Akhir 1436/24 March 2016 (MINA) – A senior source exclusively said that the Swiss delegation assigned to discuss the Swiss paper on Gazan employees arrived in Gaza Strip on Monday.

The Swiss delegation’s visit aims at discussing Hamas’s proposals and remarks regarding the Swiss Road Map solving the former government-appointed civil servants, the source said, The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The source pointed out that the delegation is holding separate talks with Hamas and other Palestinian factions as well as UN institutions in Gaza to discuss the employees file to follow up on previous efforts made by the delegation.

The Hamas leader Basim Naim had earlier told the PIC that Hamas accepts the Swiss initiative as a basis to solve the employees’ issue by integrating them in the ministries and official institutions.

The Swiss initiative offers a solution for Gaza employees’ crisis by integrating the employees, who were appointed after 2007 by the former government in the Gaza Strip, in the government service in order to include their salaries in the budget of the Palestinian Authority.

Naim noted that this is one of the three objectives of the Palestinian unity government in addition to ending the siege on Gaza and reconstruction.

“Hamas expects to hear the delegation’s final position in regards to its proposals. Hamas is looking positively to the Swiss paper, hoping that it would offer a solution to the crisis, but Hamas’s proposals must be taken into consideration”, he said.(T/P008/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)