Abbas calls Israeli settler law "an attack on Palestinians"

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday called a new Israeli law legalising dozens of illegal outposts built on private Palestinian land an "attack against our people."

Israel has faced broad international criticism over the law its parliament passed on Monday, including from Britain, France, the United Nations and neighbouring Jordan. The United States has also said that a further expansion "may not be helpful" to ending the conflict.

"The law is illegal and is obviously against the wishes of the international community," said Abbas during a joint press conference with French President Francois Hollande in Paris.

Speaking alongside Abbas, Hollande said, "I want to believe that Israel and its government will reconsider this law."

The legislation would legalise dozens of illegal Israeli outposts and thousands of settler homes in the occupied West Bank and prompted a call by the Palestinians for the international community to punish Israel.

Pro-Palestinian Israeli NGOs said they would ask the Supreme Court to strike down the law.

Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog warned the legislation could result in officials being hauled before the International Criminal Court.