Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu observes a moment of silence after laying a wreath near the grave of former Israeli President Shimon Peres during the burial ceremony at Mount Herzl Cemetery in Jerusalem September 30, 2016.(REUTERS Photo)

RAMALLAH, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Fatah Party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas defended his participation on Friday in the funeral of late former Israeli President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem.

"President Abbas' participation in the funeral is a Palestinian message of peace to the world," said Munir al-Jaghoub, a senior Fatah leader in the West Bank, in a statement.

Abbas, chief negotiator Saeb Erekat, three other senior Palestinian security officials and Fatah leaders arrived in Jerusalem on Friday morning from Ramallah to join Peres' funeral.

"Joining the funeral is part of our president's responsibilities because the whole world is paying attention to the funeral and the participation stopped (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu from showing the Palestinians as terrorists," said Jaghoub.

Islamic Hamas movement and other Palestinian factions had earlier urged Abbas not to join the funeral, saying that "joining the funeral would be a humiliation to the blood of the Palestinian martyrs who were killed in Peres massacres."

"Hamas condemns the condolences of Mahmoud Abbas for the death of Shimon Peres," said Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, in a statement.

He said that Hamas considers Abbas condolences a disregard to the blood of the martyrs and the Palestinian people's suffering, adding "the Palestinians feel comfortable that this criminal (Shimon Peres) had left."

"He (Peres) is the one who was behind the massacres in the Lebanese village of Qana and many other massacres and crimes against the Palestinian people," said Abu Zuhri.