Officials said the PLO has failed to maintain the embassies or pay
salaries to diplomatic staffers. They said some of the embassies could close
in late 2007.
On April 9, a PLO panel ended a three-day meeting in the Jordanian
capital of Amman to discuss the financial crisis of the Palestinian Foreign
Ministry. The meetings were headed by PA Foreign Ministry Undersecretary
Ahmed Subih.
Subih said salaries and conditions have not been standardized at
Palestinian embassies. He said some staffers were affiliated to the PLO,
while others were employees of the Palestinian Authority.
Officials said the PLO does not plan to sever diplomatic relations with
any country in which a Palestinian embassy would be closed. He said a
Palestinian ambassador could be responsible for several states.
Critics said Palestinian embassies have been wasteful, with ambassadors
embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars. They said both the PA and the
PLO have lost track of financing.
"These are false rumors based on no evidence," Subih said.