Lebanese President: International humanitarian law imposes obligations, and Israel is no exception
Beirut, 25 Sep (KUNA) -- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun affirmed on Friday that international humanitarian law imposes clear obligations on all parties to the conflict, stating that "Israel is no exception."
He made these remarks during a speech at the opening of the 12th Regional Conference of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in the Middle East and North Africa, hosted by the Lebanese Red Cross in cooperation with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Aoun emphasized that "protecting medics, medical and humanitarian teams, ensuring their safe access to those in need, and respecting the Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems are not matters of choice; they are legal and humanitarian obligations. Medics must not be targeted."
He added, "Even war has rules, and international humanitarian law imposes clear obligations on all parties to the conflict. Israel is no exception."
Aoun highlighted the "magnitude of the sacrifices" made by the Lebanese Red Cross during various crises, noting that in the current war, its role extends beyond emergency response to include delivering humanitarian aid to dangerous areas, contributing to the file on prisoners of war, and coordinating the work of ambulance and rescue teams in cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and the Ceasefire Monitoring Mechanism. "Your teams have responded to tens of thousands of cases, and your services have reached all regions of Lebanon," he said.
For her part, Kate Forbes, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, pointed to the suffering of the region's population due to conflicts, wars, and complex crises.
Forbes called for respect for humanitarian and medical workers, urging that they not be considered targets. She reminded attendees that international humanitarian law requires the protection of these workers and guarantees their safe access to those in need of assistance.
She noted the efforts undertaken by the societies, some of whose members have lost their lives, citing the deaths of 56 Palestinian Red Crescent medics, two Lebanese Red Cross staff members, and four volunteers in Iran. She stressed the necessity of protecting volunteers in accordance with and in enforcement of international humanitarian law.
Antoine Zaghib, President of the Lebanese Red Cross, stated that holding the meeting in Beirut under these delicate circumstances "reflects our strong adherence to our shared humanitarian values and urges us to move forward in developing a volunteer service that responds to the needs of our communities and countries while respecting their cultural and civilizational particularities."
He said, "Through our solidarity and complementarity, we contribute to consolidating the foundations of community resilience in the face of exceptional and growing challenges." He called on the societies to coordinate among themselves, "adopt organized and planned work, and implement a comprehensive, sustainable, and proactive strategy that turns national societies into effective humanitarian beehives, involving governments alongside the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in all its components, in order to respect and enforce international humanitarian law."
Kate Half, Regional Deputy Director of the International Committee of the Red Cross, said the meeting comes at a "critical moment in a region suffering from protracted conflicts, requiring follow-up, care, and direct intervention to ensure the protection of medics and volunteers on the one hand, and to provide the necessary medical and humanitarian needs for those affected by wars and conflicts on the other."
Abdullah Al-Muhaidli, Secretary-General of the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization, emphasized that the conference's move from Amman to Beirut "should be a transition from commitments to implementation and to building practical solutions," given the increase in armed conflicts and humanitarian needs amid scarce resources.
Al-Muhaidli highlighted the role of national humanitarian societies, describing them as an "important investment in our society's capacity to face crises." He affirmed readiness to work side by side with national societies, the International Federation, and the International Committee to enhance coordination, exchange expertise, build capacities, support humanitarian diplomacy, defend the safety of workers and volunteers, and strengthen the presence of humanitarian issues in our region at both the regional and international levels.
It is worth noting that the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society is participating in the conference, whose sessions will be held in closed-door meetings for two days, through Dr. Nasser Al-Tannak, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society, and Dr. Mohammed Al-Mutairi, Advisor to the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Society.
(End) AIB / TMA
