Geneva: The Swiss government announced on Friday that it will host an international conference on the Middle East on March 7 in Geneva under a mandate from the United Nations General Assembly. The conference aims to bring together the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to discuss measures for implementing the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (RTS) quoted the head of communication at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) as saying that Switzerland had invited all 196 States party to the Geneva Convention to participate in the conference. Switzerland has previously organized similar conferences in 1999, 2001, and 2014.
The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on September 18, 2024, demanding an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories within 12 months. It tasked Switzerland, as the depositary state of the Geneva Conventions, to organize an international conference within six months. The resolution, submitted by Palestine, was adopted with 124 votes in favor, 14 against, and 43 abstentions. Switzerland abstained from the vote, considering the text of the resolution to be excessive.
Switzerland is among the countries that announced funding cuts to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and has continued to withhold funding despite several countries reversing their decision.