"As guardian of the Geneva Conventions, the Swiss government on Thursday announced it would convene on December 17 the states that are party to the Fourth Geneva Convention to discuss the situation on the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. The treaty defines humanitarian protections for civilians in a war zone.
Swiss officials expect a large participation from countries around the world, despite reports of diplomatic pressure from Israel, the United States, Canada and Australia, who are not expected to attend...
In a statement released on Friday the Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations criticised Switzerland's decision.
'The role of the depositor obliges Switzerland to operate in a neutral and apolitical manner. The decision of the Swiss government to hold a conference of signatories raises serious doubts concerning its commitment to these principles as Switzerland lends a hand to the politicisation of the Geneva Conventions in particular and the laws of war in general,' said press officer Arielle Godin.
She said the conference was a 'political move' for the sake of 'assailing Israel' and warned that Israel was re-examining its position in regard to other Swiss initiatives that concern international humanitarian law."