An Israeli soldier stands guard as Palestinians wait at the Hawara checkpoint after it was closed near the West Bank city of Nablus, 08 Jun 2008

The Palestinian Authority says it was unable to pay its workers this month because it did not receive tax revenues from Israel.

Palestinian officials said Sunday that Israel informed them it is delaying the transfer of tax money for technical reasons. The reason for the delay was not clear.

Under an Israeli-Palestinian agreement, Israeli authorities collect taxes on behalf of the Palestinian government in the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority relies on the tax money to pay the salaries of more than 150,000 civil servants in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

In another development, Palestinian shepherds say a group of masked Jewish settlers physically assaulted them Sunday near the West Bank city of Hebron.

Four Palestinians were injured in the incident, including a woman who was taken to an Israeli hospital in Beersheba in serious condition.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.