A prominent Israeli author Sami Michael has criticized Israel as the “most racist state” in the developed world, condemning its policies towards its Arab residents, Al Arabiya website reported on Thursday, June 28.
According to a report published in Israeli newspaper Haarets, Israeli Author Sami Michael said that “Israel can claim the title of most racist state in the developed world,” at the opening of an international conference of the Association for Israel Studies at an Israeli university.
Speaking at the conference, Michael added that racism is encouraged by Israeli cabinet members and fueled by increasing religious extremism in the country.
“From kindergarten to old age we feed our children hatred, suspicion and disgust toward the stranger and the other, and especially toward the Arabs,” he said.
“Israeli culture is no less poisoned than the fanatic Islamic factions,” he added.
Michael has previously called for the creation of an independent Palestinian state to exist alongside Israel.
In his novels, Michael writes about the aspirations and struggles of both Jews and Arabs.