Some 300 unemployed Palestinian laborers surrounded the parliament building Tuesday, demanding welfare payments, scuffling with police and waving empty plates in another challenge to the beleaguered Hamas government. The Hamas-led government is broke because of a freeze on international aid that began in March. On Monday, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh promised one-time unemployment payments of $100 to 50,000 workers. Hamas has made occasional payments to workers, but has been unable to silence the growing dissatisfaction.
See "Unemployed Palestinians Demand Welfare", Ibrahim Barzak, August 28, 2006