Amnesty International raps Tel Aviv violating Palestinian rights

In its rights report for 2012, Amnesty International condemned Israel for its use of torture, restriction of movement, limitation of freedom of speech, and siege of Palestinians.

It also criticized Israel's use of excessive force in suppressing Palestinian protesters in the West Bank and civilians in the Gaza Strip, stressing that the kind of brutality has led to dozens of deaths, among them women and children.

The rights group also blasted Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has created a humanitarian crisis for more than 1.5 million Palestinians.

Amnesty also criticized Tel Aviv for demolishing Palestinian homes and building settlements in the face of international law.

The report addresses human rights in 155 different nations across the world throughout 2011.

Earlier this month, the European Union also condemned Tel Aviv’s discriminatory policies and maltreatment of Palestinians living in the occupied territories.

Palestinians and the international community have repeatedly censured Israel's settlement activities in the occupied territories, calling it the main obstacle to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.