Amnesty International on Saturday warned that upcoming elections must not deflect attention from Israel's international crimes, urging continued scrutiny and accountability.
In a statement, Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International's senior director for research, policy, advocacy and campaigns, said Palestinians have little reason to expect the outcome to deliver positive human rights change as much of the world's attention focuses on Israel's upcoming parliamentary elections on Oct. 27.
Explaining this, she pointed out that electoral candidates have "shamelessly exploited" anti-Palestinian sentiment or even threatened to step up human rights violations and crimes under international law in a bid to score political points.
"Candidates have used dehumanizing rhetoric against Palestinians, promised to further entrench Israel's illegal annexation measures in the occupied West Bank, and threatened further devastation of the occupied Gaza Strip," Rosas noted.
The rights advocate underlined that across the occupied West Bank, including illegally annexed East Jerusalem, Israel continues to "ruthlessly displace" families and carry out home demolitions while imposing military restrictions on Palestinian farmers.
"In the occupied Gaza Strip, where Israel's genocide continues unabated, a year after the so-called ceasefire, killings of Palestinian civilians continue, and the expansion of access-restricted zones and the indefinite delay of reconstruction have left Gaza's population trapped in a state of protracted displacement and despair."
- International community urged to increase pressure on any incoming government
She went on to say that "persisting impunity for decades of atrocity crimes" associated with Israel's "cruel system of apartheid and its brutal unlawful occupation," perpetuated by successive Israeli governments, has only fueled more crimes against Palestinians.
"Millions of people, including Palestinians in the OPT, as well as civilians in Lebanon and Syria, face the consequences of Israeli policies and actions, yet have no say or vote in the elections that will impact their lives," added Rosas.
She called on the international community to increase pressure on any incoming government to "stop Israel's genocide in Gaza, dismantle its system of apartheid, end the ethnic cleansing of communities in the West Bank, and end its unlawful occupation of the OPT."
Rosas stressed that they must also pressure Israel to end unlawful attacks and abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law across the region, withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon and allow the return of displaced Lebanese people to their towns and villages.
"States can and must act now to hold Israel accountable and halt its relentless assault on human rights in the region," she said.
The official added: "This includes suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement, imposing an arms embargo on Israel, and ending any cooperation that may contribute to maintaining Israel's unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory."
