By Xinhua,
Ramallah : Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said on Monday that Israel did not allow the transfer of cash money to Gaza banks to pay the salaries of Gaza civil and security servants.
“We would face a real problem to pay this month’s salaries to Gaza Strip servants because Israel doesn’t allow the transfer of cash money to Gaza Strip banks,” Fayyad told his weekly cabinet meeting held in Ramallah.
Fayyad, also the finance minister in his cabinet, said the amount of salaries has been already transferred to Gaza banks, “but the problem is with Israel, which doesn’t allow the transfer of cash to Gaza banks.”
In a statement sent to reporters at end of the meeting, the Ramallah-based cabinet condemned the Israeli measures against the Palestinians and the expansion of settlements in the West Bank.
“The Israeli army is imposing a curfew on the village of Ni’linnear Ramallah for the fifth consecutive day, confiscated large areas of the village’s lands and repressed its residents,” said the cabinet’s statements.
After Hamas movement took control of the Gaza Strip in mid June last year, Israel imposed a tightened blockade on the Gaza Strip, including on its banking, and branded the enclave a hostile entity.
Abbas then dismissed a Hamas-led government following its seizure of the Gaza Strip and appointed a Western-backed government led by Fayyad in the West Bank.
In spite of Hamas takeover of Gaza, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) continued paying the salaries of about 70,000 Palestinian civil servants and security personnel.