Hamas on Tuesday accused U.S. President Donald Trump of “encouraging apartheid” following his remarks at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
"The speech was racist and establishes a new Israeli apartheid regime and encourages hatred towards the Palestinian people," said the group, according to Yediot Aharonot.
“This American policy, which is fully biased in favor of the Zionist entity, will encourage the occupation to commit more crimes and violations against our people and its holy places,” added Hamas.
In his speech, Trump called for peace between Israelis and Arabs, saying, “We know, for instance, that both Israelis and Palestinians seek lives of hope for their children. And we know that peace is possible if we put aside the pain and disagreements of the past and commit together to finally resolving this crisis which has dragged on for nearly half century.
He also denounced terrorism and said that “Israelis are murdered by terrorists wielding knives and bombs. Hamas and Hezbollah launch rockets into Israeli communities where schoolchildren have to be trained to hear the sirens and run to bomb shelters.”
The President also pointed out the Jewish ties to Jerusalem, which Hamas denies.
The terrorist group earlier this week expressed anger at Trump, after his speech in Saudi Arabia, in which he said that the Hamas and Hezbollah terror organizations were on par with ISIS.
Hamas Vice President Mousa Abu Marzouk said in response the organization is a movement for national freedom from the Israeli "occupation."
"The U.S. is partnering with the Zionist occupation, and providing them with money and weapons so they will be able to carry out terror attacks against our oppressed nation," Marzouk tweeted.
"The political blindness is painting as innocent those who destroyed Gaza and placed it under siege, killed and injured thousands of innocent victims, called Hamas a terrorist organization when it protects its nation, and refuses to compromise or to negotiate about the rights of the Palestinian people," he added.