Zakarneh: 'Anger' after minister insults workers

A Palestinian minister is under fire after he was overheard insulting the members of a powerful workers union. Ahmad al-Majdalani, the PA's labor minister, was speaking to the head of the government employees union Bassam Zakarneh at a local radio station when he made the disparaging remark about the union's members on Thursday. Apparently unaware he was still being recorded, al-Majdalani referred to the workers with a profane Arabic phrase, a rough equivalent of "sons of bitches" in English. Commenting on the profanity, Zakarneh said that al-Majdalani should resign, saying that "there is no place left for him to lead our people." "Anger is what Palestinians are feeling after hearing disgusting words," he said, adding that the PA have not made any official response to the incident. Zakarnah said that an urgent meeting of the union would be held on Sunday to discuss the next steps following the incident. Both he and al-Majdalani were guests on a show called "Malaf al-Raqeeb."