Amnesty International has called on the European Union to acknowledge the reality of Israeli apartheid.

Earlier this month, a delegation of European diplomats visited Huwara and Za’tara, two Palestinian towns in the Nablus Governorate, where Jewish settlers launched brutal attacks.

Following their visit, the European diplomats condemned the attacks on Palestinians in Huwara, and they stressed the need to “protect all civilians and ensure accountability.”

"These are commendable aims, certainly, but they will not be accomplished until apartheid is dismantled," Amnesty said.

The European Union needs to recognize the reality of the system Israel has imposed on Palestinians— until it does so, these statements amount to little more than lip service, the rights group added.

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court defines apartheid as a crime against humanity, characterized by the commission of “inhumane acts,” such as unlawful killing, torture and forcible transfer, which are committed to maintain an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over another.

In a report released in February 2022, Amnesty concluded that Israeli authorities’ treatment of Palestinians amounts to apartheid based on this very definition.