UNITED STATES, WASHINGTON (VOP TODAY NEWS) — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday ordered the termination of the services of all his advisers and the cancellation of contracts and decisions related to them and the rights and privileges of their work as advisors, regardless of their names or degrees, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
The official agency did not say why Abbas made the decision, but analyzes suggest that the Palestinian Authority’s financial crisis may be behind the move.
Since February, the Palestinian Authority has been in a real financial crisis because of its refusal to receive tax funds that Israel collects in its favor.
Israel raises about $ 127 million a month in customs duties on goods destined for Palestinian markets passing through Israeli ports before transferring them to the Palestinian Authority.
The Knesset passed a law last year to deduct some of the money in response to the Palestinian Authority’s payments to families of Palestinians jailed by Israel for carrying out attacks against Israeli citizens.
Abbas is surrounded by a large number of advisers with different names.
Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity told AFP that Abbas made the decision after a special committee set up in June submitted a detailed report on the amounts paid to senior PA officials, especially advisers.
Abbas formed the committee after reports that the members of the former Palestinian government to raise their salaries without a presidential decision, and asked Abbas to discuss all the details of the salaries of these ministers and advisers.
The Palestinian president’s decision also includes requiring the previous government – president and members – to reimburse them for the period prior to his own approval of their salaries and bonuses.
“It is clear that President Abbas received the report of the committee that is looking into the salaries and privileges of the employees,” Jihad Harb, a writer and political analyst, told AFP.
“It is also clear that President Abbas wants to reduce the financial burdens on his office through austerity measures that help to cope with the current financial crisis.”
The Palestinian president declared his rejection of the Israeli decision to transfer the tax funds incomplete.
He called on “the world to shoulder its responsibilities” towards “Israel shirk its responsibility.”
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