Via JPost:

Palestinians from across the political spectrum condemned European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over the weekend for saying that Israel has “made the desert bloom.”

Her statement was included in a special message posted on Twitter by the European Union Delegation to Israel to celebrate 75 years of Israel’s independence and friendship with Europe.

“Today, we celebrate 75 years of vibrant democracy in the heart of the Middle East,” she said. “Seventy-five years of dynamism, ingenuity, and groundbreaking innovations. You have literally made the desert bloom.”

The Palestinian Authority denounced the remarks as “racist” and demanded that the European Commission president apologize to both European citizens and the Palestinian people.