Mideast: Amnesty accuses both sides

The human rights group Amnesty International has called on Israelis and Palestinians to respect fundamental human rights -- despite the conflict raging between them.

A document issued at the end of a tour of the region by the organisation's Secretary General, Pierre Sane, urged both sides to refrain from extra-judicial killings, attacks on civilains and torture.

Amnesty described called Israel's blockade of Palestinian areas as a grave human rights violation and said Palestinian refugees must be granted the right to return to their old homes on land that is now in Israel. Mr Sane said he had talks during the weekend with the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, but that Israeli ministers had turned down requests for meetings. Meanwhile renewed clashes have been reported in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A fifteen-year old Palestinian was said to have been seriously injured by gunfire at the Karni crosing point between Gaza and Israel.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service