The Union of Local Authorities warns of a stifling financial crisis and calls on the government to intervene urgently

Ramallah - Ma'an - The Executive Committee of the Palestinian Union of Local Authorities warned of an imminent financial disaster that threatens the collapse of the local government system in Palestine as a result of the difficult political and economic conditions amid the escalating aggression on Palestine. This may force local authorities to stop providing some basic services to citizens and hinder their ability to fulfill their obligations towards their employees. This came during a meeting of the Executive Committee headed by the Union's President Abdul Karim al-Zubaidi and attended by members of the Union's Executive Committee. The Executive Authority met with the Minister of Local Government, Dr. Sami Al-Hajjawi, to discuss the catastrophic effects of this crisis and develop urgent plans to address it. During the meeting, the Executive Authority explained that unless the government transfers the debts and dues accumulated by local authorities over the years, the crisis will worsen in a way that threate ns the continuity of the work of local authorities. The Executive Authority also called on the government to intervene urgently to enable local authorities to face the challenges and ward off the risk of their collapse due to the financial crisis they are suffering from. It stressed the need for the immediate transfer of all dues accumulated in favor of local authorities over the years from road transport fees, professional fees, and property tax, in addition to allocating emergency financial resources from the government to all local authorities to deal with the additional financial and functional burdens they bear in these circumstances. The Executive Authority stressed the commitment of local authorities to their national responsibilities towards citizens, but the enormous financial burdens caused by the current situation have pushed them to the brink of financial collapse, which will negatively affect the services provided to citizens and may lead to the collapse of the social system in various regions. Source: Maan News Agency