Amnesty calls for end to Israel's 'war against humanity'

Amnesty International on Tuesday called out Israel's "apartheid", terming it a "war against humanity".

"Apartheid is not just a relic of the past, it is the lived reality for Palestinians across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories — it is happening to this day," said the global rights watchdog in a Twitter post.

It further stated that the organisation was "monitoring reports of unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, and collective punishment".

The organisation went on to describe apartheid as "valuing the life of one group more than that of another" and noted that Israel’s apartheid was maintained through killings, torture, and denying Palestinians their basic rights."

Also read: Over 20 wounded in fresh Israeli violence in Aqsa mosque

Terming the violent acts a war against humanity, it said, "This must end."

At least 170 people have been reported injured in several incidents in and around Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Senior Palestinian official Hussein Al Sheikh said on Sunday that "Israel's dangerous escalation in the Al-Aqsa compound ... is a blatant attack on our holy places", and called on the international community to intervene.

On the same day, King Abdullah II of Jordan -- the kingdom serves as custodian of holy places in east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in 1967 and later annexed in a move not recognised by most of the international community -- called on Israel to "stop all illegal and provocative measures" that drives "further aggravation".