ICSPR: THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO TRANSFER 7000 GAZA AND WEST BANK PUBLIC SERVANTS TO EARLY RETIREMENT LACKS PUBLIC INTEREST

ICSPR: The Announcement to transfer 7000 Gaza and West Bank Public Servants to Early Retirement Lacks Public Interest

The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR) followed with deep concern the local media reports through which Mr. Majid Al Hilo, the Head of the Retirement Authority, announced that 7000 security people in the West Bank and Gaza would be transferred to early retirement in the frame of reforming the security services.

The announcement was not the first of its kind, as it was preceded by many similar decisions based on the implementation of both Decree Law No. (9) of 2017 on the early retirement of the Palestinian security forces, published in the newspaper No. 132. The National Reconciliation Government, in its meeting held on 6 June 2017, also adopted a decision to implement the decision of  early retirement of the security forces in the southern governorates (Gaza Strip) for the year 2017, and the decision to refer (6145 employees) From the southern governorates (Gaza Strip) to early retirement.

ICSPR reaffirm its rejection of all these decisions, laws, and procedures against the civil and military employees in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. ICSPR sees that reforming the security services should not put more pressure on the people life. ICSPR consider these decisions as a Basic Law and human rights violation. ICSPR demands the following:

1- ICSPR emphasizes that decisions to refer security servants to early retirement comes  within the framework of a government policy of forcibly retired security servants, in contradiction to the idea of retirement and its philosophy of protecting and safeguarding the dignity of the citizen (employee) and their families.

2- ICSPR argues that transferring civil and security servants to early retirement with rate of 60% to 70% of their monthly salaries means that these employees and their families are thrown into poverty, marginalization, and destitution and this comes in contrary to the obligations of the National Authority under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

3-ICSPR Consider that the transfer of civil and security servants to early retirement means wasting their energies and expertise and results in lack of positive human resources which undermines sustainable development.

4-ICSPR calls upon the Palestinian president  Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian government immediately to reverse these decisions and repeal them including removing all the consequences of early retirement decisions ensuring that job decisions are aligned with legal standards and that the laws are not abused and used for political purposes.