RAMALLAH, 31 August 2006 — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday sided with angry civil servants in their growing confrontation with the Hamas government, affirming the employees’ right to strike.
Some 3,000 government employees marched through Ramallah yesterday to demand payment of salaries. The civil servants’ union, which represents tens of thousands of teachers and health care workers, has said it would launch an open-ended strike next week, coinciding with the start of the new school year.
Hamas has been unable to pay some 165,000 government employees since coming to power in March. The cash crisis is a result of an international aid freeze. Still, Hamas refused to accept the West’s conditions for restoring aid, such as recognition of Israel and renunciation of violence.
Hamas alleges that the strike is aimed at destabilizing the government. Many union leaders are members of Abbas’ Fatah, a rival movement that held power before Hamas was overwhelmingly voted into power.
However, Abbas yesterday backed the unions. “It is the employees’ right to demonstrate and strike,” he said.
He also said the cash crisis could be overcome by establishing a broader government that is more palatable to the West. Abbas and Hamas leaders have talked about forming such a coalition that would include Fatah, but have failed to agree on the terms.
Hamas has insisted it retain key positions and has balked at softening its militant ideology in such a way that it would meet the West’s criteria for renewing aid.
Referring to his negotiations with Hamas, Abbas said: “If we want a national unity government, we need a capable one, a government that can deliver salaries and aid.”
Referring to Hamas’ overwhelming election victory in January, Abbas added: “It’s true that we were in a democratic process, but food is more important than democratic outcomes, so we need a national unity government to work for the interests of our people.”
Bassem Hadaydeh, a union spokesman, said the employees have run out of patience. “We’ve gone for 180 days without salaries. We’ve depleted our savings. Our children are denied their childhoods, and we are asking the president to halt this suffering,” he said.
The marchers called on Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas to resign if he cannot pay salaries.
On Tuedsay, unemployed laborers in Gaza City scuffled with police and threw rocks at the Parliament building to demand jobs and welfare payments.
