Thousands of Palestinian security men fired automatic rifles and vandalised the parliament in Gaza on Thursday in one of the biggest protests over unpaid wages since the Hamas government took office in March.
Protesters criticised a plan by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, who is also a senior leader of the Hamas group, to make only partial payments to employees of the Palestinian Authority in the next few days. The protest occurred while lawmakers were holding a routine session. No one was hurt.
"We want to know when this tragedy will stop," one security official shouted through a loudspeaker outside the parliament building in central Gaza City. Most of the protesters were from forces loyal to the Fatah movement of moderate President Mahmoud Abbas. They dispersed after around three hours.
The new government has been unable to pay salaries for three months to 165,000 government workers after the United States and other Western countries imposed sanctions over Hamas's refusal to recognise Israel, disarm and accept interim peace accords.
The embargo has deepened a humanitarian crisis in the occupied West Bank and the impoverished Gaza Strip. Some protesters climbed onto the roof of the parliament and smashed windows, witnesses said.
Ahmed Bahar, a Hamas lawmaker, condemned the attack. He said protesters also vandalised the building's reception room and smashed electronic equipment, doors and air-conditioners. Haniyeh pledged on Tuesday to pay a full month's wages in a few days to 40,000 workers whose monthly salaries are less than 1,500 shekels ($330).
He also promised to pay each of the other 125,000 government workers, who earn higher salaries, an advance of 1,500 shekels. The finance minister later said it was unclear when workers who earn more would get their money. "The 1,500 shekels are not enough to pay debts, buy milk and diapers," said one banner stuck to the gate of parliament.
Hamas formed a government in March after beating Fatah in parliamentary elections in January. Abbas was elected separately in early 2005 in a ballot Hamas did not contest.
The government's inability to pay wages and a power struggle with Abbas over control of the security forces have sparked fears that tensions could spiral out of control. Clashes last month between Fatah and Hamas in Gaza killed 10 people.
The latest unrest comes a day after a senior UN official said international proposals to pay only some Palestinian workers, mainly in the health sector, could fuel tensions unless major donors agreed to leave the door open to expand the mechanism later to pay security forces and others.
The Quartet of international peace mediators, comprising the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations, is putting together an aid mechanism to provide direct assistance. Its aim is to help needy Palestinians while bypassing the government. Around 70,000 security men are on the government payroll.