Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday during a joint press conference with President Donald Trump that his government is raising its youth in a "culture of peace."
"Mr. President, I affirm to you that we are raising our youth, our children, our grandchildren on a culture of peace," Abbas said. "And we are endeavoring to bringing about security, freedom, and peace for our children to live like the other children in the world along with the Israeli children in peace, freedom, and security."
Abbas' comments are contrary to reports about Palestinian children being recruited to carry out terrorist acts. One report detailed at least 36 incidents when Palestinian children have attempted to carry out terrorist attacks.
"The preferred method of murder and attempted murder by Palestinian child terrorists are stabbings or knifings, the modus operandi in 34 of the 36 attacks," according to the report authored by a United Nations watchdog group.
Another report showed Palestinian Authority textbooks advocating violence against Jews in Israel, and a Palestinian child television show depicted Jews as "evil," "filth," and "barbaric monkeys."
Abbas reportedly said in September 2015 that "every drop of blood spilled in Jerusalem is pure" amid clashes between police and Arab protesters at the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism.
"We will not forsake our country and we will keep every inch of our land," Abbas said, according to press reports. "Every drop of blood spilled in Jerusalem is pure, every shahid [martyr] will reach paradise, and every injured person will be rewarded by God."
"The Al-Aqsa Mosque is ours. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is ours as well," he added. "They have no right to desecrate the mosque with their dirty feet, we won't allow them to do that."