But his Fatah party has just contradicted what Abbas tells the West.
Palestinian gunmen opened fire on Qalandiya checkpoint on Monday night after a resident of Qalandiya refugee camp, 16-year-old Hadeel Awwad, was shot dead in central Jerusalem earlier in the day after she allegedly attempted a stabbing attack.
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Fatah's military wing, claimed responsibility for the attack, which did not result in any reported injuries.
The brigades said they would continue to target Qalandiya checkpoint, as well as Israeli settlements, settlers and soldiers, in order to "defend" the Palestinian people.
This is not the Gaza branch of the Aqsa Brigades, but the West Bank branch under Abbas' control and funding.
Here is video of the attack:
The Al Aqsa Brigades also held a protest in front of the ICRC offices in Gaza City on Monday claiming that Israel is mistreating prisoners, featuring some classic antisemitism and an Arafat look-alike brandishing a gun.
