Switzerland's obligations under international law relating to the situation in Palestine
This open letter was written by three professors who are members of the committee of the Swiss Society of International Law: Marco Sassoli of the University of Geneva, Anna Petrig of the University of Basel, and Samantha Besson of the University of Fribourg. It was signed by 31 professors from the main universities in French-speaking, German-speaking, and Italian-speaking Switzerland.
The report denounces the Swiss Confederation's passivity in the face of the "serious violations of international law committed by the Israeli army" in the Gaza Strip and reminds it of four international obligations it must "imperatively respect," including the Fourth Geneva Convention, of which Switzerland is the depositary state. The professors call, among other things, for Switzerland to convene a new conference of States Parties to this convention, in accordance with its common Article 1.
Reference is also made to the other obligations of third states with regard to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and the obligation to prevent this international crime, to the ICJ Orders of 2024 and to its Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024.
Open letter to the Federal Council of Teachers >
Switzerland's responsibility for protecting international law in Gaza: urgent appeal to the Federal Council (Swiss government)
Open letter of May 27, 2025, written by 4 NGOs and signed by 15 others and by 76 Swiss personalities including two former federal councillors.
The letter denounces the serious violations of international law, in particular IHL, committed by the Israeli army in the Gaza OPT, which has become an "absolute hell" according to the ICRC.
It calls for Switzerland, as the depositary state of the Geneva Conventions, to respect its imperative international obligations, including the obligation to respect and ensure respect for IHL and to prevent and punish the crime of genocide.
The signatories recognize the existence of the crime of genocide against the Palestinian people by referring to legal analyses from various sources as well as to public statements by various Israeli leaders.
They are calling on the Swiss government to immediately take 10 concrete measures to fulfill its obligations. These measures, which all third-party states should adopt, are detailed in this letter.
