Hamas slams reluctance of Abbas and Hamdallah vis-à-vis Gazans’ salaries

Member of Hamas political bureau, Khalil al-Haya, has called on the PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to press ahead with orders ruling for the immediate disbursement of Gazans’ salaries.

“The President should remember the 2006 events, when armed Fatah-affiliated employees demanded their salaries,” al-Haya said in a press conference held in Gaza on Monday afternoon. “Isn’t Gazans’ right to be paid out just as legitimate?” wonders al-Haya “Has not the rift between Gaza and Ramallah been healed following the reconciliation? Gazans’ fury and protests sound quite reasonable in fact.”

“You should keep in mind that Gazan employees have not received their salaries in full for eight months and have, thus, been unable to earn a living for their households and children,” al-Haya added.

“We’ve always showed an undeniable support for the reconciliation process. No backward moves are allowed at this stage. The rift is over and we should all be working towards unity and real partnership so as to liberate our soil, people, and sanctities,” Hamas statement pointed out.

“We vow our full commitment to what has been agreed upon,” al-Haya added. “But we have never thought that the new government would target people’s livelihoods and break up the people of the same nation.”

“Haven’t we agreed that the unity government is the government of all people, Gazans and West Bankers alike?” Hamas leadership inquires.

“Had not the agreement ruled for the government’s compulsory commitment to all duties, including employees’ salaries?”

“Haven’t the people who signed the agreement been updated about the commitments of the Gaza Government, over the course of seven years, to restore a sense of security despite the siege and Israeli attacks?”

“And above all does it make sense that the unity government has pressed ahead with the disbursement of Ramallah employees at a time when it has been dragging its feet vis-à-vis Gazans?”

Al-Haya concluded his speech as follows: “Last but not least we call on the official spokespersons to think twice before making up pretexts to justify such misdemeanors and instead to give priority to their people’s needs and aspirations regardless of any personal or partisan differences.”

Hamas further hailed the Arab countries that have been backing up the reconciliation process, most notably Qatar for having provided a security net throughout the crisis.

In a related event, the Palestinian Trade Union in Gaza warned of a potential escalation in its protest-moves due to the government’s lack of commitment towards the rights of Gazan workers.

Chairman of the Union, Muhamad Siyam, held Abbas and Rami Hamdallah responsible for the state of anxiety triggered lately.

“We will never yield in to half-ways. The unity government has to observe all terms of the reconciliation agreement signed in Cairo and ensure Gazans’ job security.”

The protestors urged the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) to make every possible effort to solve Gaza’s salary crisis.

Along the same context, PLC Deputy Yahya al-Abadsa slammed Abbas’s statements over the Palestinian unity government and its projected duties.

“The problem lies in Abbas’s statements and standpoints vis-à-vis reconciliation and his attempts to monopolize the act of decision-making. Such an anti-national misbehavior will only cut the chords that link all Palestinians together.”

“Hamas firmly rejects any potential proclamations that the unity government might tolerate the acknowledgment of Israel’s right to exist and abide by the Quartet’s conditions. We will always make sure to uphold our national basics,” the PLC deputy maintained.

“True, the rift is over, once and for all. But we still have, as a national faction, the right to object to any potential violations to be committed by the government. We shall never ever abide by the Israeli and American prerequisites,” Hamas member concluded.