Ambassador Nguyen Trung Thanh, Vietnam’s Permanent Representative to theUnited Nations and other international organisations in Geneva,attended a meeting of the fourth Geneva Convention on the Protection ofCivilian Persons in Time of War in Geneva, Switzerland on December 17.

Representativesfrom 126 state members of the convention at the event adopted themeeting’s declaration, pointing out several violations of bannedregulations, including attacks on non-military objectives as well as onprotected persons and facilities like schools, health institutes, publicvehicles and humanitarian officials.

The declaration reiteratedthe International Court of Justice’s opinion relating to theconstruction of a wall in and around east Jerusalem, while showing deepconcerns over measures Israel is conducting in the Palestinianterritory, such as closing the Gaza Strip, building and expanding Jewishsettlement zones and taking assets away. The actions have causedserious impacts on the lives of Palestinian civilians.

Through the declaration, the convention’s state members called on UNoffices involved, including the UN Fact-Finding Mission on the GazaConflict established by the UN Human Rights Council in July 2014, tobring to light war crimes and crimes against humanity in Palestine.

Following meetings in July 1999 and May 2001, this is the third timethe members have gathered to discuss and approve a declaration on thesituation in the occupied Palestinian territory.-VNA