GENEVA, Nov 20: Amnesty International accused Israel on Tuesday of increasingly using torture in interrogating Palestinians and called on the UN to launch an investigation.

In a report to the UN Committee against Torture, the London-based human rights group cited “strong evidence” that illegal methods including painful handcuffing, sleep deprivation and prolonged squatting on haunches were being used.

The report was issued as the U.N. committee began examining Israel’s record at their two-week session underway in Geneva.

It comes a day after Secretary of State Colin Powell announced a new U.S. peace mission to end nearly 14 months of intifada.

“The Israeli government has failed to address the evidence of increasing use of torture by its law enforcement officials,” Amnesty said.

“Amnesty International raises incidents of torture, prolonged incommunicado detention and brutality against Palestinians by members of the security forces and expresses concern that security force members appear to benefit from impunity for torture or ill-treatment of Palestinians,” it said.

This was despite a 1999 ruling by Israel’s High Court of Justice which banned interrogation methods constituting torture, according to Amnesty.—Reuters