Syria was said to have deducted a portion of the salaries of its government workers to help the Palestinian war against Israel. Western diplomatic sources said the initiative was launched by regional authorities in Syria to deduct the salaries of public sector employees and divert the money to Palestinian insurgency groups based in Damascus. The sources said at least one region has begun such an effort. In the northern province of Aleppo, authorities ordered the deduction of 50 Syrian pounds, or $1, from the monthly salary of each government employee. The practice began in December 2004 and involved several thousand employees. The Levant News Service said the proceeds from the deductions were pooled in a lottery offer. The first prize was a German luxury car. The rest of the money would be sent to Palestinian insurgents in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.