Israelis in Switzerland appeal to Swiss Foreign Minister

There is growing pressure on Switzerland to take a stronger stand on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Keystone / Peter Schneider

The situation in Gaza is steadily deteriorating. Now Israeli expats have sent a letter to the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs calling for action.

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The letter was written by 45 Israeli citizens living in Switzerland and addressed Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis last week.

Galia Faingold co-initiated the letter. She lived in Israel for most of her life, studied mechanical engineering, and is currently working at the Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich after completing her doctorate. The impetus for the letter came from the stories of a Palestinian friend who also lives in Switzerland. He described how dire the situation in Gaza is.

When asked about her expectations of the federal government, Faingold said that as a foreigner in Switzerland, she does not consider it her place to tell the Swiss government what to do, “but as the guardian of the Geneva Conventions and a country with strong diplomatic influence, I hope that Switzerland can do more”. She added that “the current situation is catastrophic – not only for the Palestinians, who are facing a humanitarian disaster, but also for the Israelis, because it leaves deep moral scars on our society.”

The letter to Ignazio Cassis states that there is also increasing moral debate about the war in Israel. Faingold cited last March as a turning point in the attitude of many Israelis. Israel had broken the ceasefire at that time. “From then on, it became increasingly difficult to justify the war. War does not bring back hostages. It does not bring peace. And it definitely does not bring justice.”

Inbal Ben Ezer, who has lived in Zurich with her family for nine years, also co-signed the letter. She is a peace researcher and also works at ETH Zurich. The letter is intended to amplify the voices of Palestinians, she says. “And then the letter should also amplify those voices in Israel that are now critical of current policy and calling for an end to starvation as a method of warfare.”

As an Israeli living in Switzerland, she feels a particular obligation to take action, says Inbal Ben Ezer. This is because many people in Israel are unaware of what is actually happening in Gaza, as the media coverage of the war is one-sided and the humanitarian plight of the Palestinians is hardly mentioned. Here in Switzerland, she has broader access to information.

What is expected of Switzerland

Yves Kugelmann, editor-in-chief of the Jewish newspaper Tachles, says that critical voices from the Israeli community in Switzerland toward successive Israeli governments are nothing new. What is new, however, is that such voices are now manifesting themselves publicly as a group.

According to Kugelmann, the initiative also shows how Switzerland is perceived: for example, as the depositary state of the Geneva Conventions and a point of contact for the preservation of international humanitarian law. That is why the letter was also addressed to the Swiss Foreign Ministry: “A Foreign Ministry that is currently maneuvering in the Middle East more than other governments.”

Translated from German by DeepL/jdp

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