Palestinian new preventive security chief announced Saturday in Gaza that he opposes suicide bombing attacks targeting Israeli civilians.
Brig. Zuhair Al Manasra, the former governor of the West Bank town of Jenin, told reporters that he would do his best in his new position to prevent the Palestinian youths from carrying out suicide bombing attacks into Israel.
It is sad and sorrow that the Israeli army is still targeting innocent Palestinian civilians, Al Manasra said, stressing that "despite of this we will do our best to prevent suicide bombing attacks."
Al Manasra noted that he still keeps good contacts with many Israelis in Israel, including Ameram Mitzna, mayor of the Israel's northern town of Haifa.
"We have to turn the Israeli people into peace partners and not our enemies," said Al Manasra, adding that the Palestinian leadership is of course opposing such attacks that target Israeli civilians.
Al Manasra, 48, was appointed by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to replace Colonel Jibril Rajoub, who had been the West Bankpreventive security chief since Israel and the Palestinians signed Oslo peace accords in 1994.
Palestinian sources at Arafat's headquarters said that Al Manasra will have his first meeting on Saturday with Arafat in Ramallah to discuss the situation in the West Bank and plans for the future.