UN envoy says Palestinian govt will cancel increase in ministers’ pay after leak sparks anger

The Palestinian government has pledged to suspend a secret increase in ministerial salaries, the UN envoy on the Israel-Palestinian conflict said on Thursday, after reports of the raise sparked anger.

Documents leaked online appeared to show that in 2017 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had quietly agreed to increase the monthly salaries of ministers from $3,000 to $5,000, as well as boosting the prime minister’s salary from $4,000 to $6,000, AFP reported.

The revelation, by an anonymous online group ‘Against the Current,’ came as the Palestinian government faces desperate financial shortfalls.

UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov said on Thursday he had spoken to recently-installed Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, who had agreed to cancel the raises.