Ahead of parliamentary elections in Israel on 27 October, Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns said:
“While much of the world’s attention is focused on Israel’s upcoming parliamentary elections, Palestinians who have endured decades of crimes and systematic violations at the hands of successive Israeli governments have little reason to expect the outcome to deliver positive human rights change
.
“In recent months, 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. Candidates across the political spectrum also pushed for the disqualification of Sami Abu Shehadeh, Palestinian citizen of Israel and chairperson of the Tajammou’ (Balad) party, displaying utter disregard for the right to freedom of association, expression, and assembly.
“Across the occupied West Bank, including illegally annexed East Jerusalem, Israel continues to ruthlessly displace families and carry out home demolitions while military restrictions on Palestinian farmers and rising state-driven settler attacks have transformed the
olive harvest into a season of horror.
“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. The closure of the border crossings to commercial supplies is also forcing civilians to wait in endless queues for food and bread, while restrictions on the entry of engine o
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