Jacques-Simon Eggly criticizes the Swiss position in the conflict in Gaza. The former liberal national councilor writes an open letter to Ignazio Cassis and believes that the Confederation must guarantee respect for international law.
In the preamble, Jacques-Simon Eggly specifies that this is not the first time that he has spoken about the situation in Gaza. He notably described Hamas’ action as ignominious by recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself as a rule of law. The escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip. particularly regarding civilians, crossed red lines: “There are actions and bombings that go far beyond what we can understand in times of war. Consequently, international and humanitarian law are violated […] the end cannot always justify the means,” analyzes the politician.
Switzerland recently suspended financial aid to UNWRA, the UN organization for Palestinian refugees. For Jacques-Simon Eggly, it is a deplorable decision. “All the other organizations say that the UNWRA is absolutely essential to help the Palestinians who are in a terrible state,” justifies the former liberal elected official, detailing that the infiltration of Hamas into the organization did not represent “a infiltration of scope”, according to a commission chaired by a former French Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“Switzerland cannot be a mute statue”
Switzerland is a guarantor of the Geneva conventions. For this reason Jacques-Simon Eggly finds it “incomprehensible” that the Federal Council and its head of the Foreign Affairs Department do not express strong words to denounce the violations of international law in Gaza.
Should we conclude that Ignazio Cassis is not up to the task? No, according to the opinion of the former liberal politician. However, a change of heart would be desirable in this conflict: “I think that a head of the Department of Foreign Affairs must be present. You know, the word is also at the service of values. The verb is action. And I believe that Switzerland has a special word to express in cases like this. Switzerland needs international law. Switzerland cannot be a mute statue. It must be the spokesperson for the values that support it,” he concludes.
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