PA faces worst funding crisis since founding

The Palestinian Authority government in the West Bank is facing its “worst financial crisis” since its 1994 establishment, the Palestinian labor minister said Sunday. Ahmad Majdalani warned that a shortfall in the delivery of aid from Arab donor nations means the PA will be unable to pay employees their July salaries or pay off debts it owes to private businesses across the West Bank. “It is the worst financial crisis experienced by the Palestinian Authority since its founding,” he told AFP. “What is available to the Palestinian Authority at the moment in terms of funds is not enough to pay government employee salaries this month, with Ramadan approaching ... It is not sufficient to pay the bills that the Palestinian Authority owes to private companies.” The Palestinian Authority has frequently warned that it faces a massive financial shortfall that threatens its ability to pay thousands of government employees on time, or even at all. A delay in salary payments would be particularly sensitive this month, as the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan begins in mid-July. Muslims often break their daily fast at large communal meals, stocking up ahead of time on plenty of food. Last July, Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad said the government would pay workers half-salaries because it faced a shortfall of hundreds of millions of dollars. He attended a special meeting of the Arab League to urge Arab donor nations to make good on aid pledges. The executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization warned Saturday of the dire funding situation facing the West Bank government. “The executive committee calls on all the brotherly Arab nations to contribute to the solution of the urgent financial crisis that the national authority faces,” it said. “The continuation of this crisis will threaten both the Authority’s short- and long-term development and the stability of its institutions,” it warned. “The current financial situation is worse than any previous circumstances and requires rapid intervention.” “The Authority is currently unable, with Ramadan about to start, to pay salaries and other financial entitlements that are both necessary and urgent.