GAZA, May 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Palestinian Preventive Security Chief Brig. Rashid Abu Shbak said Thursday that security forces will not disarm militants since time is not ripe yet.

    Abu Shbak told reporters that security forces will not touch arms of Palestinian resistance, "because the political process has not finished and a final solution with Israel has not been
reached."

    "The arms of resistance carried by militants are pure and holy, but they must not be used to resolve family disputes or kill individuals," said Abu Shbak.

    "There will be no physical confrontation with any resident, but the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) will take responsibility and will never let anybody violate the value of our society," he said.

    However, he reiterated the seriousness of security forces in implementing security plans in the Palestinian territories, adding "implementing such plans is to restore order and end the status of chaos we have been suffering."

    He said the PNA will implement the law "on everyone no matter whatever the results are," adding "the PNA will never allow anybody to carry his gun and walk in the streets."

    He lashed out at some militant leaders, including those of Hamas, for undermining the authority of Interior Minister Nasser Youssef.

    Palestinian security forces released three Hamas militants Tuesday, one day after they were arrested in northern Gaza as they were trying to launch homemade rockets at Israel.

    Following the arrest, the first since Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas ordered security forces to deal with "an iron fist" to maintain truce, Hamas led a campaign of incitement against security forces and Youssef, threatening to attack the PNA's main Gaza headquarters if the three were not released.

    "This is not the way how opposition deals with the issue. It should be more moderate," said Abu Shbak.

    Meanwhile, senior Hamas leaders said Thursday that they supported the PNA's efforts to impose law and order in the Palestinian territories.

    Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, told reporters that the movement supported measures to impose law and order "on condition that they will not affect arms of resistance groups."

    "Any security action or measure that will hurt dignity of any militant will be immediately rejected by Hamas and we will reconsider an agreement reached in Cairo with the PNA," said Abu Zuhri.

    "All disputes, arguments and differences must be resolved via dialogue and policy of incitement and accusations will be of course rejected," he added.

    However, in a show of defiance to a truce, Saraya al Quds, an armed wing of the Islamic Jihad (Holy War), claimed responsibility Thursday for firing two homemade rockets at Israel.

    The group said the attack was in retaliation for Israel's killing of two Palestinian teenagers near the West Bank city of Ramallah on Wednesday.

    The Islamic Jihad has claimed that a truce reached between 13 Palestinian factions and the PNA in March will collapse if the Israeli army continues its operations in the occupied areas.
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