PA PM on PA economy under Coronavirus: Salaries to terrorists and their families will still be paid

Headline: “Shtayyeh: We will work according to an emergency austerity budget, the [PA] government’s revenues will drop by more than 50%”

“[PA] Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh announced that the [PA] government will work according to an emergency austerity budget in light of the developments on everything concerning the COVID-19 Coronavirus.

Shtayyeh announced during a press conference that he held today (Sunday) [March 29, 2020]… that two new cases [of people infected with the virus] were registered in Hebron and in a small town northwest of Jerusalem, and thus the number of sick rises to 106…

He added that the government’s revenues will drop by more than 50%, and that the international aid will decrease…

Shtayyeh added that the payment of half salaries was agreed upon with the Palestine Workers’ Union for the unemployed workers for the months of March and April. He again called not to work in the Israeli settlements, given that they are illegal and infected with the disease…

(The following is an excerpt of Shtayyeh’s statement –Ed.)

‘Since the wheels of production, import, and consumption have stopped,there will be a large drop of more than 50% in the PA’s revenues… The international aid will decrease because the entire world is in crisis, and therefore we will work according to an emergency austerity budget by reducing the expenses as much as possible. However, we will pay the salaries for this month [March] in full and over the course of several days in order to prevent gatherings in front of the banks, and this [will be] in the following manner:

• On the first day, the salaries of the medical and supporting personnel will be paid.
• On the second day, to the [PA] Security Forces members.
• On the third day, to the prisoners and [the families of] the Martyrs.
• On the fourth day, to welfare cases and the poor.
• On the fifth day, to the teachers.
• On the sixth day, to the rest of the [PA] public employees.
• The last payment, on the seventh day, will be to senior officials, to high level state employees, and to the ministers.”

I hope that you will [carefully] consider your expenses. We do not know what the situation will be next month.’”