Al-Zahar spits on officer demanding wages
Verbal scuffle erupts as Palestinian foreign minister waits at Rafah crossing to enter Egypt when policeman asks minister’s chauffeur to inquire when employees would be paid their salaries. A-Zahar reportedly unleashes string of curses and the two nearly come to blows
When al-Zahar arrived at the crossing on his way to Egypt, from where he planned to tour various destinations in Asia, he heard a police officer at the border request of his driver to ask when salaries – which haven’t been paid since the beginning of March – would be paid.
The crossing manager, Samir Abu Nahala, told London’s pan-Arab newspaper al-Quds al-Arabi that he heard the officer tell the chauffeur: “Tell him to fix our salaries when he’s on these trips that he’s taking.”
According to Abu Nahala, these words enraged al-Zahar, who screamed at the policeman “You aren’t civilized” and spit in his face. A similar version of the story was recounted by police who were on the scene. Border police hurried to interfere, and pulled away the police officer after the two started cursing at each other and even pushing.
The report said that al-Zahar then returned to his car, called someone and demanded that “this policeman be educated.”
“Teach him manners,” he said, according to witnesses. The officer reportedly gave al-Zahar his full name and details after the minister threatened to take steps against him.
'Insult to Palestinian government'
But the story didn’t end here. According to Abu Nahal, a short time afterwards, some 50 armed gunmen from the Izz a-Din al-Qassam brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, along with members of the new security unit established by Hamas, showed up at the crossing and spread out in the territory for some 45 minutes. In addition, a senior official in the Foreign Ministry instructed that the policeman‘s behavior be immediately investigated owing to his lack of manners and his “unbecoming conduct” towards the foreign minister.
The minister’s media advisor, Taher al-Nunu, confirmed the incident and said that it happened after the policeman demanded, “Are you going to bring money or what?!” which riled al-Zahar. A source in the Palestinian Foreign Ministry added that the argument erupted after the policeman “insulted a-Zahar and the Palestinian government, attempted to humiliate him and make mockery of the government and its efforts, and behaved very rudely towards the minister.”
The police officer, Tahrir Lafi, 30, told a-Sharq al-Awsat, which is published in London, that when al-Zahar’s car stopped at one of the main gates of the Rafah crossing which he was guarding: “I asked the driver, my friend Muhammad al-Hindi to ask the minister when our wages would be paid, and he heard me. He opened his window and unleashed a stream of curses at me, spit on me and threatened to murder me."
