(JNS) Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas went on the offensive against U.S. President Donald Trump in his speech to the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday, Sept. 27, harshly criticizing the American leader for his actions to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and aid cuts while at the same time praising Palestinian terror prisoners as “hero martyrs.”

The Palestinian leader said that Trump has undercut the peace process by recognizing Jerusalem in December 2017. “From the start of his tenure, from the same positive engagement, we welcomed his launching of the initiative of peace,” said Abbas. “We awaited his peace initiative with utmost patience. But we were shocked by his statements and actions that contradicted the aims of his administration in the peace process.” The Palestinians have boycotted talks with the Trump administration over the last year as a result of the Jerusalem recognition. At the same time, Trump has retaliated on his own, cutting funding to UNRWA, the U.N. agency that handles Palestinian refugees, as well as direct funding to the P.A. and shuttering the Palestine Liberation Organization’s mission in Washington, D.C.

The Palestinian leader also took aim at Israel, declaring that Palestinians “are resisting the Israeli occupation by legitimate means decided by international resolutions. Only peaceful means. We never use violence. By contrast, settlers use arms against our people. We will continue to reject violence and use of weapons.” Abbas also praised Palestinian terrorist prisoners in Israeli jails as “our hero martyrs and prisoners of war.”

In response to the speech by Israel’s ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon said: “Abu Mazen [Abbas] knows only one word ‘no’- not ‘direct negotiations’, not ‘Israel’, not the ‘Americans.’ On one hand he brings imaginary initiatives to the U.N., and with the other he pays millions of dollars to terrorists. Abu Mazen must understand that if there will be negotiations, it can only be directly with Israel, and not through speeches at the U.N.”