Palestinian workers promised half salaries

Ramallah: Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayyad told union leaders yesterday he would pay at least half salaries to government workers, but not their full wages, because a year-old Western aid embargo remained in place.

Fayyad said the first partial payments would be made next week, government employees' union chief Bassam Zakarneh said after the meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Government workers have not received full wages from the Palestinian government since Hamas Islamists came to power in March 2006.

Strike

Western powers responded by cutting direct aid to the Palestinian Authority to press Hamas, which won a parliamentary election that January, to recognise Israel, renounce violence and abide by interim peace deals.

"He [Fayyad] told us that the government will be able to pay at least half the salary. He told us this is all that the government can do," Zakarneh said.

Union leaders have threatened a new round of work stoppages to demand full wages and back pay.

"There will be a strike for a few days during each month until our salaries are paid," Zakarneh said.