Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Thursday congratulated Adly Mansour on his appointment as Egypt's interim president a day after Mohamed Morsi was overthrown by the Egyptian army.

"In the name of the Palestinian people and its leaders, I am honored to congratulate you on assuming the leadership of the Arab Republic of Egypt in this transitory phase in its history," said Abbas in a statement published by the official WAFA news agency.

He praised "the role played by the Egyptian armed forces commanded by General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in preserving the security of Egypt and stopping it from sliding towards an unknown fate."