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Tens of thousands of Hamas supporters rallying in Gaza on Friday. (Reuters) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 19:12 30/09/2006 Thousands of Gazans protest delays in receiving long-awaited salaries By News Agencies Thousands of government employees and security officials filled the streets of Gaza on Saturday, burning tires, blocking roads and firing in the air to protest delays and complications in receiving their long-awaited salaries. The Palestinian government on Thursday began paying partial salaries to 165,000 civil servants who haven't received their full wages in months due to an economic embargo on the Palestinian Authority. The individual payments of $350 come from money donated to the government by Qatar and Saudi Arabia. But government employees complained that in some cases, the money hadn't arrived, and in others they were left with nothing after Palestinian banks had deducted commissions and interest and paid off existing loans. Advertisement The protesters closed the main road between Gaza City and Khan Younis, affecting movement between Gaza City and the southern Gaza Strip. Outside Rafah City, protesters threw stones at the vehicle of Hamas Minister of Culture Attalah Abu Sabh, breaking the windows of the car. Abu Sabh was unharmed, Hamas officials said. The protesters also tried to enter a number of schools and disrupt studies, witnesses said. Israel and the West froze economic ties with the Palestinian Authority after the militant Hamas group took power in March. Hamas has refused international demands that it recognize Israel, accept signed peace agreements and renounce violence. With the aid cut off, the government has been unable for six months to pay the full salaries to its workers, a major part of the Palestinian workforce. Government workers, including teachers, doctors and security officers, have repeatedly staged strikes demanding the salaries and calling for the resignation of the Hamas government. Hamas rally in Gaza draws tens of thousands, denounces Israel On Friday, Tens of thousands of Hamas supporters held a peaceful rally in Gaza to denounce the state of Israel and declare that they would never recognize its right to exist. "We ask God to punish the so-called Israel and the allies of Israel and to punish those who recognize Israel and those who called on us to recognize Israel," Hamas lawmaker Mushir al-Masri told the crowd that thronged the Jabalya refugee camp. "We vow to God that we will never recognise Israel even if we would be all killed," Masri told the cheering audience of men, women and children, many of whom were wearing green Hamas baseball caps and held aloft Hamas banners. Masri, a popular young lawmaker, also aimed criticism at Fatah, a rival movement headed by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, saying it was trying to pressure Hamas, which now runs the Palestinian government, into recognizing Israel. "Those people are demanding of us openly to recognize the occupation and that will never happen," Masri said. Hamas and Fatah have held talks in recent weeks over the possibility of forming a unity government, but those negotiations now appear to have almost completely broken down. "The protest aims to stress our rejection to recognize the legitimacy of the occupation," Masri said, referring to what Hamas views as Israel's occupation of all of what is calls historic Palestine. In recent weeks, protests have been held against Hamas's government throughout the West Bank and Gaza, with teachers, doctors and other essential workers going on strike to demand the payment of their salaries. "The protest is against the siege and against the attempts by some to carry out a coup against the government," Masri said, again apparently referring to pressure from Fatah. Loud speakers played songs supporting Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a senior Hamas figure, during the rally and Masri vowed that Hamas's administration would go on governing no matter how much pressure was applied to it. "This government and the leadership of Hamas of the Palestinian people will continue throughout its legal term, for four years," Masri said Bookmark to del.icio.us Mystery fall Avraham and Carmela Cohen are suspected of being involved in a soldier's murder. Lonely no more Many people hold Lonely Planet responsible for the entire globe becoming a tourist site.   1.   Palestinians 16:45  |  Richard 29/09/06   2.   Well, There You Have It... 16:49  |  Dave 29/09/06   3.   And the left-liberals of Europe and North America want us to deal 17:18  |  Shlomzion 29/09/06   4.   Hamas to Hell 17:29  |  Maurice 29/09/06   5.   #1, Shlomzion on no deals 17:49  |  Fritz 29/09/06   6.   Israel`s right to exist 17:52  |  Attention Reuters 29/09/06   7.   Author is an idiot 17:53  |  BobUSA 29/09/06   8.   Does Shulamit Aloni, Gideon Levy, Amira Hass now get it 18:09  |  Joel Meyers 29/09/06   9.   To Fritz, dealings 18:12  |  Shlomzion 29/09/06   10.   protest in poverty 18:13  |  vik 29/09/06   11.   Fritz, why is it only Israel`s fault?? 18:17  |  We stand alone 29/09/06   12.   Hamas Palestian Bundt Meeting 18:18  |  B 29/09/06   13.   To No. 6, Clickfool from Sussex is probably fasting as it is 18:19  |  Shlomzion 29/09/06   14.   Same as Hezbollah`s beirut rally , who says no is unrealistic 18:22  |  Joseph E . 29/09/06   15.   This article is terribly upsetting 18:27  |  Andrea 29/09/06   16.   "even if we will be killed" 18:30  |  Paul Freedman 29/09/06   17.   To Fritz, further on dealings 18:53  |  Shlomzion 29/09/06   18.   What? Palestininians Spinning Their Wheels? 18:58  |  Can`t Believe It 29/09/06   19.   Hey Fritz 19:03  |  Tex 29/09/06   20.   #11, We stand alone 19:07  |  Fritz 29/09/06   21.   Gaza pullout leading to West Bank pullout 19:08  |  Avrum 29/09/06   22.   Hamas rally 19:18  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/09/06   23.   #16, Shlomozion 19:26  |  Fritz 29/09/06   24.   Fritz, #20, who still doesn;t get it 19:44  |  Reality Check 29/09/06   25.   To Andrea @15 19:46  |  Jeroen 29/09/06   26.   Don`t take Masri seriously. 19:47  |  Timothy 29/09/06   27.   THIS JUST IN (from BBC News) 19:47  |  Andrea 29/09/06   28.   to BobUSA 19:53  |  Jasmine Murphy 29/09/06   29.   hamas well victory 19:53  |  hamas man 29/09/06   30.   Tex 19:55  |  Jasmine Murphy 29/09/06   31.   hamas want the peac 20:00  |  hamas woman 29/09/06   32.   Said it before, I`ll say it again... 20:01  |  bat yam 29/09/06   33.   Everyone notice? No Arab supporters voicing their opinion here. 20:03  |  frs 29/09/06   34.   Hamas Rally. 20:17  |  David Nigel Braham 29/09/06   35.   To Fritz (23?) 20:25  |  Shlomzion 29/09/06   36.   31 Hamas woman 20:27  |  itsik 29/09/06   37.   #29 Hamas Man 20:44  |  john of Jordan 29/09/06   38.   Sad stuff... 20:46  |  Scot Guy 29/09/06   39.   The myth of the "occupation" 20:53  |  Mrs Ita Peach 29/09/06   40.   #35, Shlomozion 21:00  |  Fritz 29/09/06   41.   To #31. HAMAS WOMAN 21:02  |  Vittorio 29/09/06   42.   What part of "DESTRUCTION" do Arab supporters not understand? 21:12  |  another physicist 29/09/06   43.   hamas rally in gazaTENS OF THOSANDSANTI ISRAEL 21:19  |  HARRIETTANNE 29/09/06   44.   26:Timothy, the trusting soul. 21:20  |  bat yam 29/09/06   45.   To No. 26, Timothy, Don`t take Masri seriously 22:05  |  Shlomzion 29/09/06   46.   Fritz, Sorry for you 22:14  |  Aby 29/09/06   47.   Fritz blind to withdrawals from Gaza and Lebanon and the results! 22:31  |  Rick 29/09/06   48.   to fritz 22:31  |  bigbadakita 29/09/06   49.   Gaza divided cannot stand 22:41  |  Rick 29/09/06   50.   To Fritz . Please read #29(hamas man), # 31(hamas woman) 22:57  |  Vittorio 29/09/06   51.   In response to #44 -- Bat Yam 23:14  |  Timothy 29/09/06   52.   Notice: no Click, no Ibrahim, no usual suspects here 23:22  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 29/09/06   53.   answer to #5 (Fritz from Germany) 23:36  |  Sergio 29/09/06   54.   Clickfool and I 00:12  |  Bob 30/09/06   55.   Timoth # 51 00:14  |  ChanahS 30/09/06   56.   In response to #45 -- Shlomzion 00:20  |  Timothy 30/09/06   57.   Rally in Gaza 00:33  |  usa 30/09/06   58.   defacto recognition 00:40  |  sami 30/09/06   59.   right to exist? 00:48  |  Pssd Off American 30/09/06   60.   right to exist? 00:57  |  Pssd Off American 30/09/06   61.   LET THEM EAT SOUNDWAVES 01:18  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 30/09/06   62.   Fritzi 01:25  |  me 30/09/06   63.   Why so much support for Hamas??? 01:45  |  Michael 30/09/06   64.   Pissd off American 02:07  |  ChanahS 30/09/06   65.   ChanahS 02:12  |  gershon 30/09/06   66.   #58, P.O.A, it`s not that complicated 02:19  |  Voice of Reason 30/09/06   67.   In response to #55 -- ChanahS 03:38  |  Timothy 30/09/06   68.   To #63: What a garbage! 04:20  |  Bob 30/09/06   69.   Hamas` Emergence Is Inevitable 04:24  |  Harry D 30/09/06   70.   What was it news ? We say screw Hamas/Haaretz propaganda 06:39  |  Sal 30/09/06   71.   To Fritz (40) 06:57  |  Shlomzion 30/09/06   72.   To Timothy, 56, In response 07:14  |  Shlomzion 30/09/06   73.   God of Israel and Allah are different. 07:35  |  maria 30/09/06   74.   Hamas serving Palestinian interests 10:16  |  Gina 30/09/06   75.   Allah is on Israels side 10:22  |  Nephtaly 30/09/06   76.   Timothy - It`s up to the Palestinians to develop a peace movement 10:28  |  Gina 30/09/06   77.   Hamas, PA, etc. 10:34  |  me 30/09/06   78.   Rally In Palestine 10:37  |  Andrew 30/09/06   79.   Bob #54 .........10Q 11:00  |  Joe Moer 30/09/06   80.   What a nerve 11:37  |  Erik Das Rot 30/09/06   81.   "Rich" you can`t figure truth 12:39  |  arab 30/09/06   82.   gazans demand outside funds 13:03  |  shylock 30/09/06   83.   truly the white man`s burden 13:14  |  zadok the priest 30/09/06   84.   me#75 14:21  |  Exslam 30/09/06   85.   Picture on the front page 15:05  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 30/09/06   86.   the people of gaza 15:28  |  zadok the priest 30/09/06   87.   Exslam 16:27  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 30/09/06   88.   Better story than Erik Das Rot # 80 20:36  |  Avrum 30/09/06   89.   Psst off American # 60- look inward first 20:55  |  Avrum 30/09/06   90.   nephtaly...allah is not on israel`s side 23:36  |  maria 30/09/06   91.   #39-Myth of the "occupation" 12:24  |  Alan 24/10/07

Today Online Amira Hass: Israel expects the PA to assist the occupation Responses: 25 Israel threatens to cut off Gaza power in response to Qassams Responses: 65 Editorial: Israel must teach students that its democracy is flawed Responses: 15 Benazir Bhutto: Extremist politics will not prevail in Pakistan Responses: 14 Lack of funds could halt completion of separation barrier Responses: 14 Barak blames rightist officials for incitement before Rabin murder Responses: 22 Rosner's Domain * WTR: Relax, America will survive Bush * New poll: Were you convinced that the surge in Iraq is working? * Israel's fear: Will Rice put a bridging proposal on the table? * Jumblatt to Bush: Send car bombs to Damascus More Headlines 12:24 Israeli man hurt in drive-by shooting in West Bank 12:13 Court: Local rabbinates have no independent say on shmita sales 12:01 Defense chiefs urge ministry to impose more sanctions on Gaza 10:47 J'lem church suspects extremist Jews behind overnight arson 08:57 PM tells London Jews: Russia won't supply nuclear fuel to Iran 12:19 MKs debate ouster of Labor, Welfare and Health Committee chairman 07:46 Defense officials: Lack of funds could halt completion of separation fence 08:07 Barak: Some politicians tainted by pre-Rabin killing incitement 04:29 U.S. House panel endorses Holocaust insurance measure Previous Editions Select Day 23 oct 22 oct 21 oct 19 oct 18 oct 17 oct 16 oct 15 oct 14 oct 12 oct 11 oct 10 oct

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