Protesters take to Nablus streets against tax hike
Published today (updated) 21/01/2012 17:27
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=454190

NABLUS (Ma’an) -- Dozens of supporters of the Palestinian People's Party
rallied in Nablus on Saturday in protest against the recent increase in
taxes by the Palestinian Authority.

Several leaders from other Palestinian factions joined the protest, which
took place in Shuhada square, a Ma'an reporter said.

Protesters waved flags and banged empty cooking pans to symbolize how the
tax hike will affect their ability to provide food for their families.

“We suffer from crazy unemployment; all people are indebted; you challenged
us, drove us crazy and burdened us with taxes. You caused us to live under
poverty line. A box of eggs costs 17 shekels, a kilogram of chicken meat
costs 13 shekels, not to mention mutton, beef, or fish which we don’t want
because we can’t afford,” protesters said.

Naser Abu Jeish, a PPP member, said that the tax rise will affect the
steadfastness of the Palestinian people.

“The government must respond to the citizens’ suffering, and if they don’t
respond, protests will be held across all Palestinian cities,” he added.

Palestinian lawmaker Najat Abu Bakr urged President Abbas to call an
emergency meeting of the Palestinian Legislative Council to address the
crisis.

“Things have become unbearable. I have a family of six living in one room,
two of them are at university level, but I had to withdraw one of them
because I couldn’t afford to pay tuition for the two,” said Hajj Muhammad
Jasir, a one of the protesters from al-Lubban village.

The Ramallah-based prime minister Salam Fayyad announced several austerity
measures last week in order to make up for the PA budget deficit.

New income tax measures were introduced to ease the shortfall, which raised
the personal tax rate to a minimum of 5 percent, and maximum of 30 percent.

More entities will be subject to taxation, and tax rates on land and
property trading will also be raised, Fayyad said last week.