Palestinians blame Israel for deadly car blast in Gaza

JERUSALEM -- A car explosion Palestinians blamed on Israel killed a senior militia leader in the Gaza Strip on Thursday night, hours after Israeli officials said nearly all of the most-wanted terror suspects in the West Bank had been arrested or killed.

The Israeli army refused to comment. Israel generally has acknowledged only highly visible killings, such as missile strikes on cars carried out by its helicopter gunships. However, it has been widely accused of also planting bombs to target militia leaders.

Also on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he agreed with President Bush that a new Palestinian leadership free of corruption must be elected.

Meanwhile, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, trying to resolve an internal dispute, formally replaced his West Bank security chief, Jibril Rajoub, with Jenin governor Zuheir al-Manasra. Rajoub was appointed to take up al-Manasra's old position in Jenin.

The Gaza City blast left body parts scattered around a burned, mangled, white Mercedes.

A local mosque began mourning Jihad Amerin, 38, the Gaza leader of al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, a militia affiliated with Arafat's Fatah organization.

Authorities have not confirmed his death.

Palestinian security and hospital officials identified the only other person killed in the car blast as Nael Namera, 27, from Gaza, a lieutenant in the Palestinians' security forces.