The  head of the civil service union Amjad Abu Raed has announced that the Palestinian Authority will increase employees’ salaries by four per cent this month.

Abu Raed told the Ma’an News Agency that a 2.75% increase will be tacked on to salaries for the cost of living, and 1.25% will be given as an annual bonus.

All governmental employees will receive the raise, he said, adding that the union received a formal decision from the Ramallah government announcing the decision.

The biggest single employer in the Palestinian Territories is the Palestinian Authority - and with an unemployment rate running higher than 20% these jobs are prized.