Security Council debate on protection of civilians – Press release (excerpts)

19 January 2016

SC/12210

Concrete Action Critical to Alleviating Human Suffering, Speakers Say, at Security Council Debate on Protection of Civilians

7606th Meeting (AM)

Despite International Community Must Remind Parties to Armed Conflict of Obligations under International Law, Deputy Secretary-General Stresses

The situation of civilians in armed conflict zones — who were increasingly becoming targets themselves — remained “grim and bleak” even in the twenty-first century, stressed high-level briefers as the Security Council took on the issue of protection of civilians today.

Many of the more than 70 speakers addressing the 15-member body during the debate emphasized that, following a year of reflection on the Organization’s peace operations, 2016 must be a time to turn rhetoric into concrete action to mitigate civilian suffering.

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Observers of the State of Palestine and the Holy See also spoke, as did representatives of the European Union and the African Union.

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Statements

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RAMLAN BIN IBRAHIM (Malaysia) said … Recalling the plight of civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, he said they could not remain the Council’s Achilles’ heel for much longer. Pending the end of the Israeli occupation, the Council must ensure that all States be held accountable for violations of international law.

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ABDULAZIZ S M A ALJARALLAH (Kuwait) said … The case of the people of Palestine must be remembered in discussions of international humanitarian law, he said, calling for rapid Council action for the protection of unarmed Palestinians.

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RIYAD MANSOUR, Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine, said the tragedy of civilians in armed conflict persisted due to lack of respect for international humanitarian law and failure to hold perpetrators of violations accountable. “We have repeatedly appealed for protection for the Palestinian people,” oppressed for decades by Israel, he noted. Citing resolutions dating back to 1987, by which the Council took the Palestinians’ need for protection into account, he pointed out that the Temporary International Presence in Hebron provided limited protection in that city. Recalling that the report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations described civilian protection as a “moral responsibility” for the United Nations, he pressed the Council to protect civilians in armed conflict situations, adding that for Palestinians, that was more urgent than ever.

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The representative of Qatar said civilians bore the brunt of war and conflict. Israeli illegal practices against civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories violated international humanitarian law and undermined the two-State solution. She called on the Council to protect civilians, end violations of their rights and implement resolutions on Palestine. Systematic crimes by the Syrian regime and its allies against civilians, including siege, starvation and indiscriminate barrel bombing, were crimes against humanity. The Council needed to take all measures to deliver emergency assistance, including by air and land, to all besieged areas, implementing paragraph 6 of resolution 2238 (2015). Impunity emboldened perpetrators, and collective efforts were needed to protect civilians and hold those responsible accountable.

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The representative of Israel, also taking the floor again, said that over the last months, 29 people had been killed and hundreds injured. Instead of taking responsibility, however, the Palestinian Authority continued to attack Israel. Rather than restoring the rule of law, it had chosen to side with terror, she added./…

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For information media. Not an official record. 

http://www.un.org/press/en/2016/sc12210.doc.htm