Yesterday, Palestinian workers protested against a social security law the Palestinian government intends to implement, with a comprehensive strike of workers in factories and private institutions in the West Bank, and a demonstration in which thousands of workers took part, chanting against the Palestinian government.
The Palestinian security services closed the roads leading to the Social Security Institution's premises, but thousands of demonstrators arrived at close range, chanting against the law and the government led by Rami al-Hamdallah.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ratified the law in 2016 after being transferred from the Palestinian government.
For its part, the Palestinian Accordance Government announced in a statement following its weekly meeting in Ramallah the adoption of the amendments agreed on the Social Security Law as a result of dialogue with the parties such as professional unions and unions, the private sector and the committees responsible for amendments to the law.
The government stressed its keenness to "reach a comprehensive and acceptable agreement by the relevant parties, in a manner that preserves the rights of workers and employers, and ensures the sustainability and independence of the Social Security Institution."
The Palestinian government and the Palestinian president do not mind revisiting articles in the law. On the other hand, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at his office at the UN headquarters in New York.
In a statement issued by his office following the meeting, the Secretary-General congratulated President Abbas on the assumption of the presidency of the Group of 77 and China at the United Nations and expressed his wish for a successful year for the Group.
Guterres reiterated the position of the United Nations Secretariat, stressing that the two-state solution is the only option for achieving sustainable peace in the Middle East.
On the other hand, the Israeli occupation forces arrested yesterday 18 Palestinians during a raid and a wide search in the homes of citizens in the West Bank.
They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians. They raided and searched a number of houses and moved into al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem. My house also raided two martyrs north-west of Jerusalem.
The Israeli army said that it would carry out a military exercise in the vicinity of the city of Sderot in the Gaza envelope, while the site «Wala» Israeli, the exercise will begin in the afternoon, and the residents of the casing settlements during the movement of active vehicles and military mechanisms.
In Gaza, Hamas warned yesterday that "Israel's gradual attempts to harm the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem" would have serious consequences.
In a statement, the movement accused Israel of working to "impose new facts on sovereignty" over Al-Aqsa Mosque, saying that "the price that the occupation will pay to harm the sanctity of the Aqsa Mosque and its sanctity is great."
The movement urged the Palestinians to "further increase the trek and Rabat in the Aqsa Mosque to defend it."
The United Nations reiterates its firm position that the two-state solution is the only option for achieving sustainable peace in the region.