PA closes down Hebron TV station for airing interviews with striking teachers

Palestinian Authority police on Friday closed down a Hebron Television station

for one week for "incitement" and "endangering Palestinian national

interests."

Palestinians sources in Hebron said Hebron Police Chief Tariq Zeid

ordered the immediate closure of the "Nawras TV" for airing interviews

with striking teachers last night during which the teachers lambasted

Yaser Arafat's regime for "impoverishing and humiliating the teachers."

A spokesman for the PA police accused the small television station of

"crossing the read lines in this delicate phase of our struggle when our

leadership is mobilizing international support for our cause."

The proprietors of the television station refused to react to the closure,

apparently for fear of further reprisals from the police.

PA Police Chief in Gaza, Ghazi al Jabali, earlier warned the teachers that

the law would be sternly upheld against them if they continued to tamper

with the fate of our children and people.

However, a spokesperson of the teachers union retorted to Jabali saying

"We certainly care about the fate of our children and people more than you;

the issue is not patriotism here but legitimate demands…we simply can't

support our families with such dismal salaries."

An average Palestinian teacher receives a monthly salary of 320 US dollars,

nearly one seventh of the average salary of an Israeli teacher.

Up to 60% of the PA budget is spent on the security agencies, such as the

Mukhabarat (intelligence).

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