Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia November 23, 2021. Sputnik/Evgeny Biyatov/Kremlin via REUTERS

i24 News – Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel on Friday of practicing “hideous policies of ethnic cleansing and organized terrorism” against Palestinians in his first public comments since meeting Tuesday with Defense Minister Benny Gantz.

Abbas spoke on the 57th anniversary of the launch of the first attack on Israel by the ruling Fatah faction.

In his speech, the PA leader did not mention the meeting with Benny Gantz, which was strongly condemned by several Palestinian factions and activists.

“The anniversary of the launch of our revolution comes under extremely critical and difficult circumstances due to the continuation of the heinous Israeli occupation, the escalation of its repressive practices and persecution of our people, the theft of our land and natural resources, the stifling of our economy, the withholding of our tax funds, and racial discrimination,” said Mahmoud Abbas, according to The Jerusalem Post.

He praised the Palestinian security prisoners held in Israeli jails for their “sacrifices and patience,” stressing that the Palestinian government will not “abandon them or their families.”

He also praised the “heroes of the popular resistance,” referring to Palestinian attacks and protests against the Israeli army and Jewish residents of settlements.

Mahmoud Abbas and other Fatah leaders repeatedly call on Palestinians to step up “popular resistance” in response to Israeli “crimes.”