'calling it an unforgivable crime. #Abbas has declared three days of mourning.

#Israeli officials insist the carnage was caused by a #Palestinian rocket which misfired. All around the region, furious protestors have taken to the streets.

In the West Bank, Palestinians clashed with their own security forces, throwing stones and chanting against Abbas, who many blame for not being able to protect them. But there were protests too in Lebanon, Jordan, Libya and Iran.'

#Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud #Abbas said the actions and policies of #Hamas group do not represent Palestinian people, according to official news agency WAFA.

In a phone call w Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Mahmoud Abbas also called the PLO the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people," WAFA said.

He "affirmed his rejection of the killing of civilians on both sides and called for the release of civilians, prisoners and detainees on both sides"

#Blinken has just arrived in #Israel

In his short visit, Blinken will meet #Israeli officials and the #Palestinian President Mahmoud #Abbas (who is a political rival to #Hamas in the #Gaza Strip).

#Palestinian president Mahmoud #Abbas will meet US state sec Antony #Blinken on Friday, according to Hussein Al-Sheikh, the sec gen of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization #PLO

The Palestinian political leadership is deeply divided between Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party in the West Bank and its #Islamist militant #Hamas opponents who control the #Gaza Strip.

A background piece comparing the two:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-middle-east-67073970?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=65277fb2364b3f1612ec4731%26The%20difference%20between%20the%20Palestinian%20president%27s%20Fatah%20party%20and%20Hamas%262023-10-12T05%3A14%3A55.786Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:298aca22-4c43-44f2-bf5b-2923fad7b9ca&pinned_post_asset_id=65277fb2364b3f1612ec4731&pinned_post_type=share