Arab League chief slams Israel as bastion of 'fascism, discrimination'

The head of the largest Arab grouping has described Israel as a den of “fascism and racial discrimination” after Tel Aviv rejected a new initiative to resolve its conflict with the Palestinians.

Israel “has truly become today the last bastion of fascism, colonialism and racial discrimination in the world,” Arab League chief Nabil el-Araby said following a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo on Saturday.

Acting Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas also denounced Israel for stonewalling the so-called peace negotiations.

"We tried to implement the signed agreements and respect our obligations, but the Israelis have refused (to observe theirs)," he told Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

He also blamed increasing "radicalization" in Israel on the appointment of hawkish Avigdor Lieberman as Israel’s minister of military affairs.

Araby's remarks echoed those by former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak who said on Friday that Israel has been "infected by the seeds of fascism."