Occupied Jerusalem, ALRAY - Amnesty International has said that more than 200,000 people have signed a petition calling for putting an end to the demolition of Palestinian homes as a first step towards dismantling apartheid.

Signed by people from at least 174 countries, the petition, named "Demolish Apartheid, Not Palestinian Homes", will be delivered to the Israeli occupation prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the international rights group added Wednesday.

The petition was submitted on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which commemorates the murder of 69 peaceful anti-apartheid protesters at the hands of South African police on 21 March 1960.

Heba Morayef, regional director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, said: "Israel's discriminatory planning policies and systematic destruction of Palestinian homes exemplify the racism at the heart of its cruel system of apartheid,"

She continued: "Since the start of 2023, more than 400 Palestinians have been displaced as a result of demolitions and hundreds of thousands more are at risk.”

"Today, Amnesty International's demand for an end to this injustice is backed by 203,410 people from countries all over the world. This solidarity is a reminder that the chorus of voices speaking out against Israel's apartheid is growing steadily louder."

Morayef explained that Amnesty International "will not be silent" until the Israeli apartheid is dismantled and the Israeli occupation authorities be held to account.

Amnesty International reaffirmed its call for all states to place pressure on the Israeli occupation to end Palestinian home demolitions, forcible transfers and settlement expansion; lift its siege on the impoverished Gaza Strip; and end impunity for unlawful attacks against Palestinian citizens by the Israeli occupation military and illegal colonial settlers.