Palestinian security men protest over unpaid wages

GAZA, June 1 (Reuters) Several thousand Palestinian security men, some shooting into the air, rallied in Gaza today over unpaid salaries in one of the biggest protests over the issue since the Hamas government took office.

Protesters condemned a plan by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a senior leader of the Islamic militant group, to make partial salary payments to the lowest paid workers in the Palestinian Authority.

''We want to know when this tragedy will stop,'' one security official shouted through a loudspeaker.

A majority of the security services are made up of men loyal to the Fatah movement of President Mahmoud Abbas.

The 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 government's inability to pay wages as well as a power struggle with Abbas over control of the security forces have sparked fears internal tensions could spiral out of control.

Hamas formed a government after beating Fatah in parliamentary elections in January.

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