We promote civic engagement and human rights advocacy in Switzerland
Read our latest news: UN General Assembly adopts resolution demanding the end of Israel’s unlawful occupation of the Occupied Palestinian territories within 12 months
Sign and share our National Petition to protect the freedom of expression of students in Switzerland!
Our current actions focus on ending the aggression on Palestine and the grave crimes against its people: ceasefire, humanitarian assistance and accountability
After more than 350 days of incessant and indiscriminate bombings, siege and starvation in Gaza by the State of Israel and continuous Israeli aggression in the West Bank, casualties surpass 42’000 Palestinians killed and 96’000 injured by Israeli forces in Gaza and over 714 Palestinians killed by Israelis in the West Bank since October the 7th 2023. Over 100 Israelis remain captive in the besieged enclave since then due to the ongoing Israeli aggression and the Israeli government’s refusal to conclude a ceasefire deal, whereas Israel holds more than 10’800 Palestinians in arbitrary detention, subjecting them to torture and inhumane, cruel treatment.
Despite Switzerland’s humanitarian tradition, as the home country of the Red Cross and the Geneva Conventions on International Humanitarian Law, despite its official committment to the protection of civilians in armed conflict, the current government is failing to denounce Israel’s intentional, indiscriminate mass killings of Palestinians and blatant commission of war crimes and thus failing to uphold international law, especially humanitarian law.
It fails to prevent the commission of genocidal acts or genocide itself by the State of Israel, which the International Court of Justice has confirmed on January 26th of 2024 is plausibly taking place, underlining all Member States’ parties to the Genocide Convention obligation to act to prevent such crimes being committed. The ICJ reiterated in July 2024 that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal and must be ended, and that all States have a duty to work towards ending this occupation - for example, through sanctions. This was reaffirmed by a UN General Assembly resolution adopted by a wide majority of member States on 18th September 2024 calling for sanctions and other effective actions by States against Israel in order for it to end its unlawful occupation of the Palestinian territories within 12 months of that date.
The Swiss government must act urgently to prevent the commission of further war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Palestine, and to stop the ongoing Israeli massacres in Gaza and the West Bank. It must demand and work towards a ceasefire and the retreat of all occupation forces and settlers from the occupied Palestinian territories, provide humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza via UNRWA financing and ensure accountability for the grave international crimes committed against the Palestinian people.
Action is imperative: every hour counts for saving lives!
Take Action
We have published a national petition for the protection of the freedom of expression of students at Swiss higher education institutions: read, sign and share it here!
We have prepared text templates for us, the people of Switzerland, to contact our elected representatives responsible for Swiss foreign policy in the Parliament.
By e-mailing our representatives, we aim to make sure that our voices are heard and that Switzerland’s committment to International Law, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law and the protection of civilians in armed conflicts, that we believe in and stand by, is honoured by our current government in its policy regarding Palestine. We therefore make these demands explicitly and directly from our government representatives: simply go on the page for French or German text and choose which parliamentarian to email.
We took inspiration from Jewish Voices for Peace in the United States and Voices in Europe for Peace. The above is adapted from their original, which can be seen in full here and here.
Please use the following templates to contact your local politicians:
Here you will find the English version of the letter template for ease of reference or other use, whereas the official letters are to be sent in French or German:
Dear [name of the representative],
I am writing to you today to demand that you ensure that the Swiss government brings about an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the cessation of violence and illegal Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank and provides urgent humanitarian relief to Palestinians.
I do not tolerate the ongoing violence against the people of Palestine, rooted in their unlawful occupation and oppression by the State of Israel. The Israeli government is slaughtering the population of Gaza through incessant bombings, ground attacks, starvation and the destruction of the medical system as well as all infrastructure. It has killed over 41’000 Palestinians in Gaza in the last six months, 70% of whom were women and children, and injured over 94’000 Palestinians. Israel’s blockade on Gaza is depriving 2,3 million people of food, water, medical supplies and all resources essential to survival. Israel is deliberately acting to bring about the Palestinian people’s physical destruction through starvation, disease and injury. This boundless violence constitutes war crimes and crimes against humanity that plausibly amount to Israel committing the crime of genocide against the Palestinian people, as ruled by the International Court of Justice on 26th of January 2024.
In the West Bank, over 714 Palestinian civilians, including 160 children, have been killed by Israeli military personnel and settlers since October 7th 2023, while the illegal settlement activity has expanded and over 10’800 Palestinians have been arbitrarily taken into detention and are subjected to torture, inhumane and cruel treatment.
These human rights violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity are flagrant violations of peremptory international law. These have been recorded and published for the world to see, fully known to the international community and the Swiss government: yet the Swiss government fails to hold the State of Israel accountable for these crimes.
Switzerland, as a State Party to the Genocide Convention, has the duty to prevent and stop genocide, while it is bears a special responsibility for the protection of civilians as the Depositary State of the Geneva Conventions on international humanitarian law. The Swiss government is failing to fulfil its duties, violating its mandatory obligations under international law and failing its population.
It is absolutely urgent that you, as part of the government, react immediately to rectify this. The violence in Palestine must be stopped immediately and permanently, because all humans have an inalienable right to life, security and peace. We make the following demands of the Federal Council and Parliament, which are to be immediately implemented in our foreign policy:
- All parties to the conflict must end the violence immediately and permanently through a lasting ceasefire. They must comply with all provisions of international law, UN resolutions and ICJ orders to this effect. Switzerland must employ all means at its disposal to ensure this happens now.
- Humanitarian aid and relief funds to the people of Palestine must urgently be provided. The Swiss government must resume and increase its payments to UNRWA and other humanitarian organisations supporting the people of Palestine, as these provide the services indispensable to their survival.
- Switzerland must end any aid or assistance that might directly or indirectly support Israel’s unlawful occupation, policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territories and any other violation of international law. It must impose sanctions on the State of Israel as long as it continues to commit these crimes. Any form of military, scientific, economic or technological collaboration or trade with Israel must be stopped immediately and as long as Israel continues to occupy Palestine and violate the rights of Palestinians.
- Switzerland must ensure the application and enforcement of international law, in particular international humanitarian law for the protection of civilians and the Genocide Convention. It must immediately convene a Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention as its depositary State, as mandated in the Convention and required by the UN Human Rights Council Resolution L-13, adopted on 05.04.2024, and the UN General Assembly resolution A/ES-10/L-31/Rev.1, adopted on 18.09.2024. It must also ensure compliance with the Genocide Convention and support the legal proceedings before the ICJ and ICC to ensure accountability for violations of international law and the prevention and cessation of crimes of genocide and other crimes against the Palestinians.
- Finally, for a genuine solution to the conflict, it is imperative that Switzerland contributes its good offices for an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the liberation and self-determination of the people of Palestine, with accountability and reparations made to them by the occupier, as mandated by the ICJ’s advisory opinion of 19.07.2024 and the UN General Assembly resolution A/ES-10/L-31/Rev.1, adopted on 18.09.2024.
Please make my voice heard and support the above-mentioned demands.
Thank you very much for your commitment!
Kind regards,
[Your Name]