Debate on the Attacks on hospitals and schools as violations of international humanitarian law, during the EP plenary session (27-28 April 2016) in Brussels. Statements by Elena VALENCIANO (S&D, ES), Enrique GUERRERO SALOM (S&D, ES), Jeanine HENNIS-PLASSCHAERT, Dutch Minister of Defence, Pier Antonio PANZERI (S&D, IT), Mark DEMESMAEKER (ECR, BE), Charles GOERENS (ALDE, LU), KONECNA Katerina (GUE/NGL, CZ), and Anna ZABORSKA (EPP, SK)

Brussels

debate

plenary session

respect for human rights in the world (T)

GUERRERO SALOM, Enrique (S&D, ES)

KONEČNÁ, Kateřina (The Left, CZ)

VALENCIANO, Elena (S&D, ES)

PANZERI, Pier Antonio (S&D, IT)

DEMESMAEKER, Mark (ECR, BE)

ZÁBORSKÁ, Anna (EPP, SK)

GOERENS, Charles (Renew, LU)

HENNIS-PLASSCHAERT, Jeanine (ALDE, NL)

Attacks on hospitals and schools as violations of international humanitarian law: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Elena VALENCIANO (S&amp;D, ES), Author, What we are seeing is an upsurge in attacks on civil buildings, particularly schools and hospitals, in a large number of conflicts, and we are not doing enough to prevent this. And we are not talking about isolated incidents, there is a pattern of behaviour here which we can see in Syria or Yemen, where schools and hospitals have been attacked in the dozens, killing hundreds of people. Thousands of innocent people are thereby denied any kind of assistance.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Enrique GUERRERO SALOM (S&amp;D, ES), Author, There is a forthcoming summit on the protection of humanitarian law in Istanbul shortly, I am asking the Member States as the representative of the EP that will chair the delegation, that there will be a clear commitment made, towards compliance for and full respect of international law, because it is essential that we provide humanitarian assistance to people who desperately need it.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jeanine HENNIS-PLASSCHAERT, Dutch Minister of Defence, The World Humanitarian Summit should produce practical outcome and specific commitments made by all relevant actors, in particular as regards safeguarding humanitarian access and respect for international humanitarian law.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jeanine HENNIS-PLASSCHAERT, Dutch Minister of Defence, When it comes to specific situations,the Council for example in October last year addressed the situation in Syria, and called upon all parties, and continue to call upon all parties, to stop all forms of indiscriminate shelling and bombardment against civilian areas and structures such as hospitals and schools.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Pier Antonio PANZERI (S&amp;D, IT), MEP 6 - 8th parliamentary terms, It is necessary and urgent to come up with specific action that will help protect civilians, humanitarian aid workers at risk. Those who are responsible for indiscriminate attacks against civilians have to be identified and held accountable by being taken to war tribunals.

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Mark DEMESMAEKER (ECR, BE), MEP 7 - 8th parliamentary term, The unique and ambitious range of tools available to the EU to ensure the respect of the most essential principles of humanitarian law is well known. Now the EU and its Member States have to show that we mean this.The Global Summit on Humanitarian Assistance in Istanbul next month is not a day too soon, this international momentum has to be grasped with both hands.

SOUNDBITE (French), Charles GOERENS (ALDE, LU), MEP 7 - 8th parliamentary term, Our resolution seeks to promote preventive measures and also deterrence, because there are too many violations of international humanitarian law. We want a ban on supply of arms to actors involved and we want to ensure that humanitarian law is properly respected. We also want to ensure that there is independent investigation into these crimes if they occur, this must include the right to bring a case to the international criminal court.

SOUNDBITE (Czech), KONE&#268;N&#193; Kate&#345;ina (GUE/NGL, CZ), MEP 7 - 8th parliamentary term, Countries receiving weapons from EU Member States are responsible for targeted attacks on civilians including bombings of hospitals and schools. With the forthcoming resolution, we call for effective measures to end this complicity, and we ask to support the Green proposal to impose an EU arms embargo against countries that are responsible for such serious breaches of international humanitarian law.

SOUNDBITE (Slovak), Anna Z&#193;BORSK&#193; (EPP, SK), MEP 7 - 8th parliamentary term, We must absolutely ensure that hospitals and schools are protected, because the are built in order to help, educate and protect and care for people. Those who attacks schools, hospitals are absolutely breaching the very fundaments of human rights.