A Raise on Employees' Salaries

by Dr. Abdul-Sattar Kassem

The Organization’s approval of a resumption of direct negotiations with (Israel) was preceded by an intensive media campaign from Mr. Fayyad, claiming that the Authority is living through an acute financial crisis, and that it will not be able to pay its employees’ salaries after this month. Every sensible person understood that the purpose of these statements was to remind Palestinian society that the Organization has no independent decision of its own, and that no one has any option but to accept whatever America and (Israel) dictate — or else disaster will strike, and salaries will go unpaid.

I would argue that the approval to resume direct negotiations has already resolved the financial crisis Mr. Fayyad complained of, and that money will now flow abundantly into his treasury for a full year, the period fixed for the direct negotiations. Which leaves the question: what happens after that date? Will the Ramallah Authority manage to secure its employees’ salaries from its own resources? Or will it collide with reality, declare its bankruptcy, and leave its employees to the hell of need? In my assessment there are two possibilities:

First: that the direct negotiations are renewed for another year, with the Authority continuing to do its job of maintaining security, so that (Israel) can complete its settlement project across the whole of the land of Palestine under the cover of negotiations. In that case, the Authority’s employees will have their flow of funds guaranteed, and salaries will continue to be paid for another year! But this possibility is weak.

Second: that America and (Israel) exploit the negotiating spectacle — in which the Egyptian president, the King of Jordan, Mr. Abbas, and Netanyahu will all take part — to suggest to the Arabs that peace with (Israel) is within a hair’s breadth, so there is no need to be angry at (Israel), and no need to blame America, which is seriously contemplating an open war with Iran.

It is certain that the outcome of this war will determine the fate of the Ramallah Authority’s employees’ salaries. Should America and (Israel) win their war on the East, (Israel) will grow stronger and more influential in the region, and will work to realize the dream of Greater (Israel).

From that point on, there will be no need for any political role, or even security role, for the Palestinian Authority, and (Israel) will not allow a single dollar to enter Ramallah. But if (Israel) and America fail in their war against the East, and their strength collapses before the Arabs and Muslims, then a weakened (Israel) will be unable to impose its terms, and in such a case new, victorious Palestinian forces will emerge to impose their own will as an alternative to the Ramallah Authority.

In light of all this, the Ramallah Authority has one year left to survive, which requires its employees to make use of the time remaining to save their white piastre for their black day, and to seize the political moment to demand a substantial raise on employees’ salaries to see them through the days ahead.

Source: Translated from the original Arabic, “زيادة على رواتب الموظفين” by Dr. Abdul-Sattar Kassem.