Hamas leadership condemns dismissal of UNRWA staff

The dismissed Palestinian government in Gaza expressed on Sunday concern at lay-off of Palestinian staff of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). The spokesman of the Hamas administration, Taher Al-Nounou, charged in a statement that political considerations were behind the dismissal of a number of the employees. "The Palestinian people cannot accept the principle of punishing an employee or head of the staff union, merely as a result of their participation in regular union activities, or for being present at rallies in homage of Sheikh Ahmad Yassin or the prime minister," he said, alluding to the founder of Hamas, who had been assassinated by Israel. "Such flagrant intervention in the affairs of the Palestinian society by the UNRWA does not reflect neutrality, as claimed by the agency," he added. Meanwhile, the federation of Arab employees in the UNRWA declared plans for holding a series of escalatory activities against the international agency during this week to protest the recent measures against the Palestinian workers in Gaza. A sit-in will be held at the headquarters of the agency, it said, adding that up to 8,000 Palestinian teachers would take part in the protest.