The Jerusalem Post reports: “Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas charged that ‘America is occupying Palestine’ just as Secretary of State Antony Blinken was reportedly planning to visit Israel and the West Bank.

‘When Israel says that it is celebrating its independence day, it has gained independence from whom?,’ he said during a public speech in Ramallah. 

‘Who was occupying the State of Israel so that it celebrates the anniversary of its freedom from this occupation, this is a big lie.’ 

He noted the religious tensions in Israel, pointing to the attack against the Yom Kippur scuffle that broke out in Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff Square when activists tried to enforce gender-segregated prayer…”