The Palestinian Authority’s new Minister of Economy, Dr. Mazen Sunokrot says the coffers of the Palestinian government are not running dry, as some media have reported.
He reported on Wednesday that the Palestinian Authority (PA) can pay employee salaries and condemned Palestinian media reports to the contrary.
According to Dr. Sunokrot, "We are waiting to see what will happen in the next few months, including what financial obstacles the Israelis will place in the way of the Palestinians."
He pointed out that the financial crisis has been ongoing for approximately a year due to the already low funding from donor countries and continuous Israeli attacks and closures which wreak havoc on the economy.
Elected Palestinian Legislative Council member and Hamas spokesperson in the Gaza Strip, Salah Al Bardewil, confirmed that the PA is totally responsible for employee salaries and the provision of funds.
Al Bardewil told Ma’an, "This financial crisis is supposed to be connected with Hamas, but we have not even taken any charge of the PA. This crisis, if there is one, has no relation to Hamas winning the PLC elections."
