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Source: http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.707145
Is the Palestinian Teachers Strike a Call for Democracy?
(Ha'aretz) Amira Hass - The Palestinian teachers strike which began on Feb. 7 continues in the West Bank as the Palestinian Authority refuses to negotiate with the teachers' elected representatives. Some say the protest was sparked by the announcement, a few months ago, that the government promoted 180 senior civil servants and raised the monthly wages of Palestinian VIP escorts by 400-600 shekels. The PA's legislative council has been paralyzed since 2007, and there is no supervision over the executive authority. Fatah is dominant in all government institutions (including the trade unions); one man makes all the decisions and sets the policy: President Mahmoud Abbas.