WRAP Hundreds in streets demanding unpaid salaries, plus demo in Rafah

(30 Sep 2006) Rafah, Gaza Strip 1. Wide shot of demonstration 2. Palestinian security officials, gunmen and civilians at demonstration 3. Gunmen shooting in the air at demonstration 4. Palestinian security officials stopping bus in street 5. Traffic in street 6. Wide shot of demonstration 7. Palestinians throwing stones 8. Man talking to gunman 9. Palestinians throwing stones 10. Gunmen and civilians running in street 11. Zoom out from gunman standing on porch of building 12. Policemen at demonstration 13. Gunmen at demonstration 14. Mid shot people marching at demonstration Gaza City, Gaza Strip 15. People gathered in street, buses and traffic stopped 16. Tyre burning in street 17. Buses and traffic stuck in street, people walking 18. Various of people walking in street, stopped traffic, armed security officials Nusseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip 19. Wide shot of street, tyres burning 20. More of tyres 21. Members of security forces gathered in street 22. Tyres burning in street, people walking 23. Truck standing in street 24. Wide of street, tyres burning STORYLINE: Thousands of government employees and security officials turned out in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, protesting against delays and complications in receiving their long-overdue salaries. In Rafah thousands turned out to demonstrate, including security officials and police who fired guns in the air. Outside Rafah City, protesters threw stones at the vehicle of Attalah Abu Sabh, Hamas' minister of culture, 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. In Gaza City, thousands filled the streets, burning tyres, blocking roads and firing in the air. The protesters closed the main road between Gaza City and Khan Younis, affecting movement between Gaza City and the southern Gaza Strip. The Palestinian government on Thursday began paying partial salaries to 165,000 civil servants who haven't received their full wages in months. The individual payments of 350 US dollars 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. 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 recognise 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. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...