Amnesty International UK condemned the Israeli parliamentary elections on Tuesday, describing the political process as apartheid at the ballot box. Kristyan Benedict, crisis response manager for the group, issued a statement as millions of voters began casting ballots.
Benedict drew attention to severe restrictions facing Palestinians in the occupied territories as polling stations opened. He stated that Palestinians in Hebron faced lockdowns within their own city and that thousands had been forced from their homes.
Benedict reported that more than 1,500 people had been killed in Gaza since the start of a ceasefire reached in October 2025. He urged the British government to take immediate action regardless of the vote outcome.
No election result will alter the responsibilities facing London, according to Benedict. He called on authorities to halt all weapons shipments to Israel and to impose sanctions on officials implicated in international crimes.
Amnesty International UK also demanded unrestricted humanitarian aid deliveries and the termination of the unlawful blockade of Gaza. Benedict urged the British government to back international judicial institutions fully.
London must implement the rulings of the International Court of Justice and offer backing to the International Criminal Court. Benedict stated that the government must sever all financial, trade, investment, cooperation, and assistance links tied to the occupation and genocide of Palestinians.
Voting in the parliamentary elections began at 7 am local time on Tuesday. More than 7.3 million citizens were registered to vote for the 120-member Knesset.
Polling locations were scheduled to remain open until 10 pm, according to figures released by Israel’s Central Elections Committee.
The parliamentary contest featured a tight race between the governing coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the opposition bloc headed by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot.
