Palestinian Authority civil servants received full month's salary Wednesday following the Israeli government release of Palestinian revenues

Gaza City has today witnessed many "ups and downs" among its population. This morning's release of BBC reporter Alan Johnston created a feeling of great relief among Palestinian citizens. Furthermore, civil servants also received payment of a full month's salary, after 15 months of interruptions.

Amidst the joy following the promise of regular salaries for at least the next six months, some 20,000 public employees were denied their salaries, particularly members of the Hamas-affiliated Executive Force, many of which were guarding the banks and directing traffic as this morning's events unfolded.

An air of exhaustion has descended over the baking hot Gaza Strip. Bank tellers reported feeling tired, and often angry, as they toiled to organize the huge numbers of employees coming to claim their salary payment. Each customer has had to be dealt with individually, as many public sector employees have only been able to survive the last many months by taking out loans from the banks, meaning that banks have made hefty deductions from this salary payment.

According to Amr Siraj, the director general of the Bank of Palestine in Gaza City, the payment of salaries was carried out in an orderly manner. He said that the bank will today pay salaries for some 50,000 employees in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, meaning that bank workers will work extra hours to cope with demand.

Palestinian Authority civil servants received full month's salary Wednesday following the Israeli government release of Palestinian revenues

If the Palestinian Authority civil servants receive full month's salary Wednesday, it will be following the Israeli government release of Palestinian revenues.

Since Hamas won the Palestinian parliamentary elections on January 2006, the Israeli occupation government led the US-EU governments in an embargo-sanctions regime to punish the Palestinian people.

Palestinian revenues from taxes were withheld by the Israeli occupation government. The US-EU government followed by making sure that the government is destabilized financially. Even Arab governments willing to send aid to the Palestinian people were prevented from doing so.

Now, after the collapse of the Palestinian national unity government, the Israeli occupation government and its allies are increasing the rift between the two main Palestinian factions, Fateh and Hamas, in order to divide Gaza from the West Bank.

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