Palestine's UN envoy calls Israel's incoming government 'fascist'

By Betul Yuruk

UNITED NATIONS (AA) - Palestine's UN Envoy Riyad Mansour labelled Israel's incoming government as "fascist" on Monday, which is likely to be led by former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"There will be fascists holding cabinet positions in the Israeli side," Mansour told reporters. "The attacks against the Palestinian people will increase".

He said that the situation will "move from bad to worse" and called on the UN Security Council to deal with Israel's new government in a different way to protect the Palestinian people.

Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu started negotiations with the right-wing bloc leaders to form a coalition government after winning a majority in the Knesset earlier this month.

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland sounded alarm by the intensity of violence in the occupied West Bank in his briefing to the Security Council.

"After decades of persistent violence, illegal settlement expansion, dormant negotiations and deepening occupation, the conflict is again reaching a boiling point," Wennesland said.

"High levels of violence in the occupied West Bank and Israel in recent months, including attacks against Israeli and Palestinian civilians, increased use of arms, and settler-related violence, have caused grave human suffering," he added.

Wennesland said that he has not yet had any discussions with the incoming Israeli government.

When asked by Anadolu Agency if he anticipates difficulty dealing with the incoming Netanyahu government, he said that he dealt with him before and acknowledged different voices in the new government.