The Swiss government has agreed to review adopting a definition of anti-Semitism adopted in 2016 by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/jdp
On Thursday, the Senate put forward a proposalExternal link to assess the legal consequences for both domestic and foreign policy of adopting the definition of anti-Semitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.
The IHRAExternal link specifies that “anti-Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
The working definition also includes several illustrative examples. The Alliance argues that a clear understandingExternal link of what it is, can begin to help address the problem of anti-Semitism.
Several European countries including the United Kingdom, Germany and Austria have adopted the definition but not without controversyExternal link in some countries.
Home Affairs Minister Alain Berset indicated that the Swiss government supports the proposal and will be publishing a report evaluating the effectiveness of measures to tackle anti-Semitism in the country.
Anti-Semitic incidents have been on the rise in many parts of Switzerland. In 2018, the French-speaking part of the country recorded 174 incidents of hatred against Jews as well as a rise in anti-Jewish conspiracy theories. The German-speaking regions accounted for 42 anti-Semitic incidents.
Switzerland is a member of the IHRA, which convenes governments and experts with the goal to strengthen and promote education, remembrance and research on the Holocaust. Switzerland chaired the Alliance in 2017.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss oddities
Mennonite movement turns 500 in Zurich, where it all began
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
This content was published on
The Fête de l'Epouvantail (scarecrow festival) is celebrating its 30th anniversary and returns to Denens in canton Vaud for its seventh edition from July 10-20.
This content was published on
A 35-year-old man has died in a work accident at the valley station of the Heimwehfluh toboggan run in Matten near Interlaken, canton Bern.
This content was published on
The Swiss embassy in Tehran re-opened on Sunday after being closed on June 20 owing to the unstable situation in the country.
This content was published on
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and her youngest daughter Princess Ariane attended the Netherlands' women's European Championship football match against Wales in Switzerland on Saturday.
Swiss want to better protect military airfields from spying
This content was published on
Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister says he wants to better protect Swiss military airfields against espionage activities.
Man charged with flying drone at women’s Euro 2025
This content was published on
A man flew a drone around the venue on Wednesday evening during the first match of the Women's EURO 2025 in St. Gallen. The 30-year-old violated the absolute ban on flying during match days. He was reported to the police.
More than 250 Swiss companies sign CO2 reduction initiative
This content was published on
A total of 257 companies from Switzerland have signed up to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). In doing so, they are committing to CO2 reduction targets that are compatible with the Paris Climate Agreement.
Swiss accident prevention group sees federal targets at risk
This content was published on
The Swiss government's target for accident figures is at risk, reckons Mario Cavegn, member of the executive board of the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention.
Feminicide: Swiss justice minister calls for electronic monitoring
This content was published on
Swiss Justice Minister Beat Jans has called for electronic monitoring and an ankle bracelet warning system for perpetrators of violence against women.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss hotel sign asking Jews to shower sparks controversy
This content was published on
The notice has since been removed by the hotel manager, who says there was a misunderstanding. The sign posted at the Aparthaus ParadiesExternal link hotel in canton Graubünden read: “To our Jewish guests, women, men and children, please take a shower before you go swimming and although [sic] after swimming. If you break the rules, I’m…
Swiss Jews explain Switzerland to Orthodox tourists
This content was published on
In order to avoid cultural misunderstandings, this summer Swiss Jews went to mountain resorts to mediate between locals and Orthodox visitors.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.