BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- The Palestinian Authority finance ministry said Wednesday that it was distributing late salaries to employees who have been waiting since early September to be paid.
Ministry spokesman Rami Mahdawi said the salaries would be paid out on Thursday to employees making over 4,500 shekels per month. Their full salaries had been put on hold to pay lower wage earners.
Mahdawi said that the Ministry of Finance was making its best effort to pay salaries for September as it copes with a budget crisis brought on by lower than usual fulfillments of aid pledges.
Despite recent discussions with donors, the Palestinian Authority does not expect a significant boost in foreign budget assistance, a senior government official said Tuesday.
A report presented by Nabil Qassis, the Palestinian Authority finance minister, has received no significant response, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
"The sponsoring countries during the meeting in New York on Sept. 23 didn't make any promises to provide the PA with financial aid, and that's a warning sign aggravating the crisis," he said.
"We haven't heard promises to pay the PA money ... Even the Europeans said it clearly that they have paid their dues and can't pay more. And the Arabs don't seem to care."
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