Five days after a murderous terror spree by Hamas—infiltrating Israel’s southern border from the Gaza Strip and leaving 1,300 dead, thousands wounded and as many as 150 civilians taken captive—Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned killing civilians “on both sides,” ahead of a meeting with America’s top diplomat.
The nuanced remarks on Thursday come as the Palestinian leader was due to meet with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Friday in Amman. Blinken landed in Israel to meet with government leaders and show American support for the State of Israel.
Abbas’s comments followed earlier ones that equated the situation.
“We reject the practices of killing civilians or abusing them on both sides because they contravene morals, religion and international law,” the official P.A. news agency Wafa quoted Abbas as saying.
On Saturday, Abbas chaired an “emergency” leadership meeting in Ramallah after the Hamas terrorist group launched its multi-pronged attack from the Gaza Strip.
He “gave instructions to provide protection for the Palestinian people, stressing the right of the Palestinian people to defend themselves against the terrorism of settlers and the occupation forces,” according to Wafa.
“He also gave directions to provide all that is necessary to bolster the resilience and steadfastness of the Palestinian people in facing the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation and settler gangs,” added the report.
Amid the carnage in Jewish communities near the Gaza border, the P.A. Foreign Ministry released a statement blaming Israel for Hamas terror.
“Israel’s disavowal of the signed agreements and noncompliance with international legitimacy resolutions led to the destruction of the peace process and the absence of a solution to the Palestinian issue after 75 years of suffering and displacement,” said the ministry.
“The continuation of the policy of double standards, the silence of the international community regarding the criminal and racist practices of the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people, and the continuation of the injustice and oppression that the Palestinian people endure is the reason behind the explosive situation and the absence of peace and security in the region,” it continued.
Palestinians throughout Judea and Samaria celebrated the massacre of entire families while they woke on Shabbat and a holiday morning, with many handing out candy to children.
