Palestinians Protest against New Income Tax Laws

As Reported by Qods News Agency (Qodsna) Hundreds of Palestinians gathered in the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Hebron (Al-Khalil) yesterday to reject the Social Security Law which will come in to effect this month.

Workers and activists said the open sit-ins will continue until the Palestinian government responds to their demands.

 

Thousands of Palestinians Demonstrate in Ramallah Against Social Security Law – https://t.co/o45lJ53JRe #Palestine pic.twitter.com/ij2VopOj0h

— al whit (@soitiz) October 30, 2018

The Palestinian Cabinet announced earlier this week that the law will be implemented in accordance with the timeframe issued by the Social Security Corporation board of directors starting with the organizations that have more than 200 employees.

The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organisations Network (PNGO), one of several bodies which opposed the law in its original form in 2016, last week called for a broad national dialogue on all proposed amendments to the legislation.

 

#Palestine : thousands of Palestinians gahtered in #Ramallah today to protest against a new social security law and demand the departure of the #PLO government. pic.twitter.com/ddC9BeU6CD

— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) October 29, 2018

PNGO demanded amendments to the minimum wage in accordance with the increasing living costs since 2013.

According to the new law, all workers are subject to the same percentage of contribution to the Social Security Corporation, with no clauses which provide for workers who receive minimum wage.

Additionally, the families of Palestinians killed by the Israeli occupation may not be eligible to receive benefits from the Social Security Corporation which limits benefactors to those who have lost a family member to natural causes or “due to work injury”.