Palestinians slam Abbas-Gantz meeting amid settler violence in occupied West Bank

Palestinians have strongly criticised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' decision to meet with Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz earlier this week.

Palestinian official Hussein al-Shaikh said Abbas met Gantz on Tuesday to strengthen economic and security ties. Their talks mark the highest-level public meetings between Abbas and an Israeli minister since Israel's new government was formed in June.

The rare meeting, which took place at Gantz's home in Rosh HaAyin, came amid continued infringements by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem. Residents of the occupied West Bank and the besieged Gaza Strip told The New Arab that by meeting with Israeli officials, President Abbas is giving up on the rights of Palestinians.

Hebron resident Salem Jaradat said Abbas "does not follow up on the daily Israeli settlers' violations against us as well as our lands."

"Neither the Israeli government nor the settlers are interested in peace with us," the 22-year-old told The New Arab. "They just want to evacuate us from our lands...".

Iyad Drimly, a Gaza-based activist from Palestinian faction Fatah, said in a Facebook post that "the president's decision to meet Gantz at his house allocated in our occupied land has dangerous consequences... we are waiting for the birth of a unified national leadership to organise the mass movement, expand its scope, and support it against the crimes of the Israeli occupation and settlers".

Palestinian factions including Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas also slammed the meeting.

The factions said in separate statements that Abbas is still betting on negotiations with Israel, despite Tel Aviv's violation of international human rights law when it comes to the Palestinian issue.