Palestine Authority pay-cuts sparks unrest in Gaza

Protests were sparked in Gaza on Wednesday after employees of the Palestinian Authority (PA) complained that their March salaries were cut by a third.

A number of PA employees told Palestine-based Maan News Agency that they had received less than 70 percent of their due salaries.

Some employees in the PA ministry of education said they received as little as 30 percent of their usual salary.

Walid al-Awad, leader of the Palestinian People’s Party, lashed out at the decision describing it as "completely illegal" and "unacceptable".

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Awad added that it was the PA officials themselves who asked public sector workers in Gaza to work with them rather the ruling Hamas authority after the Ramallah-based Fatah Party lost control of the strip in 2007.

This followed the election victory of Hamas in 2006 with Fatah remnants attempting a coup in Gaza. Bad blood has existed between the two parties since then, with continued attempts at reconciliation.

Before Tuesday, the PA only cut salaries of employees who refused to fully boycott Hamas in Gaza, who are now seeking to rebrand themselves to gain further global recognition.  

The PA has responded to the protests claiming that it was not their original salaries that had been deducted, but only bonuses.

Ramallah asserted that there is no political motive behind the salary cuts, rather than it being due to a lack of funding.