Swiss foreign minister travels to Israel and Palestinian territories

Ignazio Cassis travels to Israel and the Palestinian territories. Keystone-SDA

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis is travelling to the Middle East on Tuesday and Wednesday for official visits to the Palestinian and Israeli authorities.

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The trip is part of Switzerland’s ongoing efforts to promote dialogue, peace and respect for international law.

As part of his visit, Cassis will meet the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohammad Mustafa, in Ramallah. Cassis will hold bilateral talks with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar in Israel, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

His meetings will focus on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in particular the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. During the talks, Cassis will address diplomatic efforts to find a political solution to the conflict and the security situation in the Middle East.

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In order to gain as comprehensive a picture as possible of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Cassis will also meet representatives of international organisations that are active in the Gaza Strip and receive support from Switzerland. The visit emphasises Switzerland’s commitment to humanitarian principles and to a just and lasting peace, the foreign ministry said.

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A fortnight ago, the Swiss government expressed its deep dismay at the unbearable human suffering in the Gaza Strip. It called for unrestricted humanitarian access to the civilian population, an immediate ceasefire and the full and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas. Furthermore, it said Israel, as the occupying power, had a special responsibility to protect the civilian population in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.

Translated from German by DeepL/ts

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