Palestine rejects EU's message on Israeli independence.

Palestinian leaders and social media users criticized European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's congratulatory message on Israel's 75th year of independence, calling it "inappropriate, false and discriminatory." The Palestinian Authority called her remark about Israel making "the desert bloom" an "anti-Palestinian racist trope" and said the day instead marks 75 years of Israel's "colonial project." The PA urged von der Leyen to issue an apology to Palestinians, and condemnation of the EU official's statement was also rife on social media.