Saudis hit Yemen hospital with US support: Activist

Press TV has conducted an interview with Sara Flounders, co-director of the International Action Center from New York, to get his take on Saudi Arabia’s targeting of a hospital in Yemen.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: The MSF says its hospital was targeted five or six times by aerial strikes on Monday, and it knows without a shadow of a doubt that the Saudis were behind the attack. Yet the Saudis are denying any connection or responsibility. Is there anyone else that's been bombing Yemen on a daily basis for the last seven months?

Flounders: No, this is clearly a Saudi attack of a well-known hospital, where the GPS coordinates were known and regularly informed. But it’s also important to know that all Saudi targeting is done by the US along with the refueling and the supplying of the jet aircraft and supplying of the missiles.

This is all absolutely in coordination with the US and not one Saudi aircraft can take off without US satellite coordination. So, along with blaming Saudi Arabia, clearly the US is also to blame for this as they were at the hospital in Kunduz in Afghanistan.

And more than 100 hospitals that the US has targeted in its wars whether we’re talking about in Yugoslavia, in Vietnam, in Korea, in Iraq, the list goes on and on. And now to see this bombing in Yemen, a known hospital of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Doctors Without Borders, again hit right after the bombing in Afghanistan these are every one of these are war crimes.

It is absolutely a violation of Article 18 of the Geneva Conventions signed in 1949 to in any way strikes of civilian hospitals regardless it says under no circumstances can a civilian hospital be hit and yet they’re being hit regularly. It’s a horrendous crime.

Press TV: Saudi Arabia has been repeatedly condemned for many questionable civilian targets, which may very well constitute war crimes, as you just said. Will we ultimately see Riyadh have to answer for its conduct in Yemen in some kind of International forum?

Flounders: They absolutely should answer. They must be made to answer for their targeting not only of hospitals but water supplies, vital infrastructure in Yemen, food supplies, ports, again and the stopping of emergency assistance.

These are the crimes that Saudi Arabia is committing and as in every one of US backed and supported wars, its wars on the civilian population, its wars that are direct attempts to demoralize the population by striking what is absolutely needed for the civilian life to continue.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk