PA Prime Minister Mohamed Ashiya: "We need $ 120 million to deal with the virus - we are now working on our emergency budget"
The streets in Ramallah are being disinfected // Photo: Reuters
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamed Ashiya made a speech Sunday to show the state of emergency in the wake of the Corona virus, after at least 104 people were infected and a villager in his hand, near Mount Adar, died of the virus.
"We are already working to provide more respiratory machines to hospitals, despite a global shortage," said Ashiya, adding that "we will soon receive medical assistance from China. We intend to boost our health system with 51 more doctors, including general practitioners, general practitioners, nurses. And medical aid staff. Today we are doing a thousand corona tests a day and we want to increase the rate. " It is likely that the way it will be done is through the many Palestinian students studying medicine in Jordan and returning to the PA following the general closure announced in Amman a week ago.
On the economic side, Ashiya explained that "Palestinian Authority revenues are expected to fall by more than half, so we are working on an emergency budget. However, I stress that PA employees will receive their full salary this month." According to her wife's estimates, the PA needs $ 120 million to deal with the Corona virus.
"We do not have the backing of cash or forex, nor do we have the ability to print cash," she said. We have agreed with the business owners to pay half of the March and April salaries, and the other half they will pay after the end of the Corona crisis. "
The Palestinian Prime Minister also addressed the issue of Palestinian workers in Israel: "Israel bears responsibility for the peace of Palestinian workers. We have serious claims about the Israeli approach to them that throws them off the road," said Ashiya, adding: "Their employers are required to pay their salaries on time. Committed to staying in Israel. " He noted that in the coming days, 35,000 workers are expected to return from Israel for ISA isolation.
Her wife has come to Israel for not releasing the security prisoners because of the Corona virus. "We called on the Red Cross and the United Nations to do everything they can to protect the prisoners from the virus," the PM said, adding even utterly blamed accusations: "The settlers are trying to spread the epidemic throughout Judea and Samaria and we are defending them."