GENEVA: The State of Qatar, as a party to the four Geneva Conventions and the two Additional Protocols of 1977, emphasized its firm belief in the necessity of compliance with international humanitarian law as the most appropriate framework for regulating the conduct of parties to armed conflict and providing protection to affected persons if there is political will to adhere to it and to common humanitarian values.
During her delivering of the State of Qatar's statement before the 34th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in Geneva, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Delegation of the State of Qatar in Geneva Jawhara bint Abdulaziz Al Suwaidi said that this year, the world celebrates the 75th anniversary of the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, which set modern international legal standards for protection and humane treatment in times of war. Despite the major role played by these conventions and their additional protocols in alleviating the scourge of war and protecting those affected by it, several obstacles and challenges still stand in the way of full compliance with their provisions.
She noted that more than a year has passed since the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and its extension to Lebanon, and its forces have committed crimes of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and serious violations of international law, with the number of civilian victims reaching more than 45,000 martyrs, and the number of wounded and injured exceeding 100,000 persons, in addition to millions of displaced and homeless persons, most of whom are children and women. Israel's crimes also included the massive and deliberate destruction of civilian facilities, especially homes, schools, and hospitals, and the targeting of humanitarian relief workers, UN employees and international humanitarian organizations, in addition to the use of starvation as a weapon of war and the burning of camps for the displaced with the civilians inside them while they were alive, she added.
She indicated that all these tragedies are happening before the eyes and ears of the international community, with complete idleness and folded arms to protect the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples, stop these massacres and crimes, and hold those responsible accountable. She highlighted that this brutal war, the ugliness of which cannot be justified, has torn apart any sense of common global humanity and has caused the international community to lose its credibility. It has also put all countries under a moral and historical test to bear their individual and joint responsibilities.
Al Suwaidi also pointed out that the State of Qatar has taken advanced steps toward promoting the dissemination of international humanitarian law within the relevant national institutions, and that these efforts were strengthened by the establishment of the National Committee for International Humanitarian Law in 2012, which played a major role in introducing this law by organizing seminars and training courses, in addition to its work with various partners with the aim of ensuring respect for and implementation of international humanitarian law at the national, regional, and international levels.
She stressed that the State of Qatar is fully convinced that full protection for those affected by armed conflicts can only be achieved by stopping these conflicts and addressing their roots. Qatar, within the framework of its foreign policy and diplomatic efforts, has paid great attention to mediating armed conflicts as well as hosting and facilitating negotiations between the warring parties, which achieved several successes and received the praise and trust of the international community.
She emphasized the State of Qatar's keenness to participate in international efforts to address humanitarian crises around the world, provide humanitarian assistance, and implement development programs that contribute to enhancing the sustainability of security, peace, and stability.
Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Delegation of the State of Qatar in Geneva Jawhara bint Abdulaziz Al Suwaidi voiced the State of Qatar's hope for the success of efforts aimed at avoiding and alleviating human suffering wherever it is found, ensuring the protection and respect of human beings, and cooperation to achieve lasting peace among all peoples.