When officials spread frustration instead of hope!

It's true that the Palestinian reality no longer views statements with surprise, nor does it even resent what officials say who, instead of being solution-makers and hope-givers, join the ranks of complainers, weepers, and wailers. The latest example is what the Minister of Finance in Dr. Mohammed Mustafa's government said about the economic collapse, or rather, in his own words: "The Palestinian economy is dying." These statements are completely out of place, and even in countries facing economic collapse, officials refrain from discussing the collapse, in order to preserve the minimal stability of the economic reality and to prevent capital from fleeing the crisis should it occur.

The consequences of such statements outweigh their benefits, as they came under such political circumstances, with the ongoing war of extermination in Gaza and the annexation and erosion operations in Jerusalem and the West Bank. No one, whoever he may be, in this world is unaware of the economic conditions of the Palestinian Authority, which is exposed to constant piracy of its funds by the occupation government and the cessation of Arab and international financial support during the past years. This has led to conditions that the Palestinian citizen is familiar with, whether he is a government employee or in any other sector. This is the most prominent issue that he is accustomed to following, just as he follows its news and news about the payment of salaries. We may be the only government in this world whose employees’ salaries are announced in the media and newspapers before they are paid.

Returning to the statements of the Palestinian Minister of Finance, their harms outweigh their benefits, if viewed from the perspective that Palestinian national capital will take a step backward, as will investment operations. As the saying goes, "Capital is cowardly," so what if it finds itself faced with such statements issued by a responsible financial authority, which carry within them a warning of the danger of financial collapse?

Perhaps if our political situation were more stable, it would have been possible to delve into the details and expand on the discussion. However, what I would like to point out here is a direct message, indeed a clear signal that every official in this country should heed: The Palestinian citizen, under these stressful circumstances, does not expect to hear statements that weaken his resolve or dampen his will. Rather, he expects words that raise his hope and open windows of optimism, even if the options are narrow and the challenges are complex. It would be wonderful if the country's officials would come forward with solutions, not problems that the citizen is well aware of.