Palestine–Switzerland relations

Palestine–Switzerland relations

Palestine
Switzerland

Palestine–Switzerland relations refer to foreign relations between Palestine and Switzerland. The Swiss government does not recognize the existence of a Palestinian state.

Switzerland has a representative office in Ramallah.[1]

History

Before 1948, Switzerland was represented in the British Mandate of Palestine by a consulate in Jerusalem and a consular agency in Jaffa, which was specifically opened in 1927. In 1975, the Palestine Liberation Organization opened an office in Geneva. The Palestinian President made an official visit in March 2015. He then met with the President of the Swiss Confederation, Simonetta Sommaruga to discuss the Palestinian reconciliation.[2] In January 2022, Switzerland announced its abandonment of the Geneva Initiative and declared the need to redefine its Middle East strategy.[3]

In 2020, Swiss national Philippe Lazzarini was appointed head of United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).[4]

In November 2023, Switzerland stopped funding 11 human rights organization in Israel and Palestine in response to Hamas's attack on Israel on 7 October.[5] Ignazio Cassis, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced the creation of a taskforce on the Middle East headed by Maya Tissafi.[6] Switzerland maintained contact with Hamas and does not classify it as a terrorist organization.[7] It also informs Israel of its ties with Hamas.[7] Parts of Switzerland banned pro-Palestinian protests.[8][9]

Following the Gaza war, Switzerland banned Hamas.[10] It announced further bans on people supporting or funding Hamas would be enacted.[10] Switzerland also announced the complete stopping of funding for three NGOs under review but continued fundings for eight others.[10] The Swiss parliament voted to stop funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).[11] It was passed by the lower house but blocked by the upper house.[11][12]

Recognition of a Palestinian state

 As of early 2026, Switzerland does not formally recognize the State of Palestine as a sovereign state.

In an internal legal review published on 11 September 2025 by the Directorate for International Law of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) (and revealed via Swiss Freedom of Information Act request made by Swiss newspaper Blick). [13][14]Switzerland concluded that bilateral recognition would be, in principle, legally possible under international law. The Directorate deemed this to be case, even though it recognized that the Palestinian Authority does not have full control of governance of its territories. The review applied a three-elements doctrine (territory, people, and effective government) but classified Palestine as a special case. Citing an International Court of Justice 19 July 2024 advisory opinion as well as Hamas control over Gaza, the FDFA stated that respective criteria for territory and people are met, but the Palestinian Authority lacks complete control due to the Israeli occupation undermining effective government. However, the report states that these factors, in and of themselves, do not block statehood because no other state claims the territory, aside from annexed East Jerusalem. The division of authority is thus not permanent. Further, it is emphasized that Palestine has received multilateral recognition as a UN non-member observer state since 2012, a status that Switzerland has supported. The report emphasized that there is no legal requirement to recognize Palestine, this decision remains a political choice. It compared this situation to Switzerland’s 2008 recognition of Kosovo, which occurred despite Kosovo's lack of full control at that time. Recognition would provide immunities to Palestinian representatives and create neutrality obligations during any armed conflict. However, these obligations would not have immediate effects since Switzerland currently does not export arms or provide military support to any party. [15] [16] [17]

Continued non-recognition

Despite the legal conclusion that recognition is possible, the Swiss Federal Council has stuck to its position that unilateral recognition should only happen as part of a negotiated two-state solution. [18] This requires concrete steps toward peace, a stable Palestinian government, and a political roadmap. Parliamentary proposals for immediate recognition were turned down by the upper house of Swiss parliament, the Council of States in September 2025. [19] President Karin Keller-Sutter reiterated in November 2025 that the necessary conditions have not yet been met. [20]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Representative Office of Switzerland Ramallah". www.eda.admin.ch. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  2. ^ "عباس يزور سويسرا من أجل عملية المصالحة الفلسطينية بين منظمة التحرير وحماس".
  3. ^ "Swiss phase out funding for Geneva Initiative". SWI swissinfo.ch. January 26, 2022.
  4. ^ "It helps to be Swiss, says new boss of Palestinian refugee agency". SWI swissinfo.ch. 2020-05-31. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  5. ^ "Switzerland Decides to Suspend Funding for Rights Defenders in Israel, Palestine | Human Rights Watch". 2023-11-01. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  6. ^ Keystone-SDA (2023-10-10). "Switzerland creates taskforce on Middle East". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  7. ^ a b "Israeli-Palestinian war revives Hamas debate in neutral Switzerland". SWI swissinfo.ch. 2023-10-09. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  8. ^ "Israel-Palestine Hostilities Affect Rights in Europe | Human Rights Watch". 2023-10-26. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  9. ^ Keystone-SDA/dos (2023-10-21). "Hundreds turn out for unauthorised pro-Palestine rally in Zurich". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  10. ^ a b c "Switzerland moves to ban Hamas and supports Israel's self-defence". euronews. 2023-11-23. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  11. ^ a b "Swiss parliament rejects move to cut funding for UN agency for Palestinian refugees". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  12. ^ "To cut or not? Swiss parliament divided on UNRWA aid". SWI swissinfo.ch. 2023-12-15. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  13. ^ Eberhard, Fabian (2025-09-21). "Bund verheimlicht brisantes Palästina-Dokument". Blick (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2026-03-19.
  14. ^ "Befreite Dokumente". Öffentlichkeitsgesetz.ch | Deutsch (in Swiss High German). 2024-05-07. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
  15. ^ Hatebur, Elena (2025-09-21). "Bund hält heikles Palästina-Dokument unter Verschluss | Nau.ch". Nau (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2026-03-19.
  16. ^ "Völkerrechtliche Beurteilung der möglichen Anerkennung Palästinas" (PDF). 11 September 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ "Schweizer Aussenpolitik: Das EDA gibt grünes Licht für die Anerkennung Palästinas, der Bund zögert". Tages-Anzeiger (in German). 2025-09-28. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
  18. ^ Mavris, Giannis (2025-09-24). "Why Switzerland doesn't recognise Palestine as a state". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
  19. ^ swissinfo.ch, S. W. I. (2025-09-09). "Senate against Switzerland recognising Palestine". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
  20. ^ Hossli, Peter (2025-09-23). "KKS in New York: Hart bei UBS, klar bei Palästina". Blick (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2026-03-19.
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