Pressure on passive Federal Council is growing
Humanitarian disaster in Gaza
Humanitarian disaster in Gaza
SP asks the Federal Council for action: sanctions against settlers, stop of military cooperation with Israel
The pressure on the Federal Council of Cassis from civil society and politics increases to oppose Israel’s military operations in Gaza more. The EDA does not want to have received a letter that wrote their own employees.
At the beginning of June, after a military operation of Israel in the northern Gaza strip: Displaced Palestinians turn back to find their belongings that they had to leave behind in their houses.
Federal Council and Foreign Minister Cassis are increasingly under pressure to work more for the suffering Palestinian population. In a letter, EDA employees recently came to their head of department Cassis. They asked him to « judge the arbitrary operations of the Israeli army in Gaza and in the West Bank ». He should take all possible measures to persuade Israel to meet his international law obligations. « Your commitment to compliance with international law is more urgent and necessary than ever, » said the employees.
Eda: “currently no knowledge” from the letter
How did EDA boss Cassis react to his employees’ letter? The answer of the broadcasting party is somewhat surprising: « The EDA currently has no knowledge of an alleged letter from EDA employees, » says a spokeswoman.
Apparently the letter from the internal EDA post was handed over, but supposedly never arrived at the boss.
Even the Swiss ambassador in Tel Aviv, Simon Geissbühler, demanded a harder line to the Netanyahu government in internal memos, according to his boss Cassis. EDA connoisseurs give something on Geissbühler’s word in this matter, because the brother of the former SVP national councilor Andrea Geissbühler is considered to be Israel-friendly and a loyal cassis man.
But on Tuesday, Cassis said television in an interview with the western Swiss: You have to « keep cool head despite the violence, you can neither believe one nor of the other side ». However, one had to condemn the fact, he emphasized that both sides prevented that humanitarian aid could get in the Gaza strip.
The sending party states on request: « The head of the EDA and the Federal Council have been expressed several times and clearly on the situation in Gaza in the past few weeks. » The Federal Council had asked « Israel to ensure the unhindered access of humanitarian aid to all needers » last week. On May 23, Cassis « clearly said in Ticino that humanitarian aid was not an option, but an obligation ».
At the end of last week, the overall Federal Council also clearly commented and required an immediate ceasefire. The EDA has also previously commented on various international levels and also ordered the Israeli ambassador.
The SP motions are also an attempt to force the Federal Council to comment on the questions raised. So far, Foreign Minister as well as overall government avoided that.
