Israel would not assassinate Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, said visiting Israeli Internal Security Minister Tzahi Hanegbi on Thursday.

Hanegbi made the remarks at a press conference, saying the Israeli government does "not consider Arafat a target."

"We are frustrated by the fact his is still in power," he said, noting Arafat should step down and someone else should take over the leadership so that the anti-terror commitments could be fulfilled and a solution to end the violence between Palestine and Israel could be found.

However, he said: "we are not going to intervene in the creation of a new political leadership in the Palestinian ( National) Authority."

Israeli army chief Moshe Yaalon said Tuesday that Arafat and general secretary of the Hezbollah Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah "have understood that they are the next on the list," indicating they may have the same fate of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, founder and spiritual leader of Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) who was killed in Israel's missile strikes early Monday.

Amid Hamas' calls for revenge, Arafat, while saying he was not afraid of the possible assassination, voiced on Wednesday his opposition to any attack against civilians, either Palestinians or Israelis.