Abbas made the remarks in a televised speech commemorating the 17 anniversary of the death of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

"This anniversary comes while our just national cause is going through a very delicate stage, perhaps the most difficult in our history of struggle. It is not reasonable or acceptable for the occupation to remain chocking us forever," he said.

"It is not reasonable for us to remain committed to agreements that Israel does not abide by," Abbas added.

"Israel is building and expanding settlements and keeps launching a systematic aggression to change the historical situation of the city of Jerusalem to obliterate its Arab and Islamic identity and character," he said, calling on the world "to change the way it acts with the Israeli occupation authorities" with "tangible steps."

In November 2004, Arafat died from an unknown illness at the age of 75 in a French hospital. Palestinians accuse Israel of poisoning him, while Israel denies such accusations.

Arafat had led the Palestine Liberation Organization since 1969 and became the first president of the Palestinian Authority since its establishment in 1994.