PA Minister of Jerusalem Affairs resigns; Legal Affairs office to shut down
Date: 30 / 06 / 2009 Time: 13:35
www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=38921

Jerusalem - Ma'an - Palestinian Minister of Jerusalem affairs Hatem Abdul
Qader submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Tuesday,
high-ranking Palestinian sources told Ma'an.

Staff at the Legal Affairs office under Abdul Qader, who head up 600 files
protesting home demolitions in East Jerusalem, have not been paid in more
than a year, Director of legal affairs in Abdul Qader's office Khalid
Al-Amouri said.

Abdul Qader himself had 4,000 shekels (1,025 US dollars) deducted from his
salary last month allegedly to cover an advance payment to set up the
Jerusalem Affairs office, Al-Amouri said, calling the Finance Ministry move
the "straw that broke the camel's back" and pushed Abdul Qader to resign.

Ma'an was unable to contact Abdul Qader to confirm the news.

Sources close to Abdul Qader quoted him saying he resigned because the
Palestinian government could not financially cover Jerusalem's needs.

The Fatah official is expected to release a statement explaining why he
resigned.

Previously serving as Fayyad's advisor on Jerusalem issues, Abdul Qader was
sworn in on 19 May with the new caretaker government, which holds power only
in the West Bank.

The legal team is thus abandoning the legal defense of at least 600 homes
threatened with demolition, including the home demolished Tuesday morning on
East Jerusalem's Mount of Olives.

***Updated 16:20 Bethlehem time