Olmert, Israeli PM from 2006-2009, pictured here in 2015.
Keystone / Debbie Hill
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has cancelled a planned visit to Switzerland, citing fears of arrest on charges of war crimes.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/dos
Olmert, prime minister of Israel between 2006 and 2009, claimed on Thursday he had information that Swiss authorities wanted to “question and eventually arrest him”.
The charges, the 73-year-old said, related to his role in the “Operation Cast Lead” offensive launched in Gaza in 2008-2009, which claimed over 1,400 Palestinian and 13 Israeli lives.
The Swiss ministry of foreign affairs deferred questions to the Attorney General’s Office. The latter said it was currently not conducting any criminal proceedings against Olmert.
As for the Federal Office for Justice, it told the Keystone-SDA news agency that it had received no extradition or legal cooperation requests. Even if it had, Keystone pointed out, such requests are kept secret.
It’s not the first time a former Israeli leader has faced questioning or the threat of arrest in Europe. In 2016, British police summoned Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni for questioning about possible war crimes in Gaza.
More
More
Switzerland’s delicate stances on Israel
This content was published on
Switzerland, one of the first countries to recognize the state of Israel, is alarmed by the level of violence in Gaza Strip.
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
Swiss federal prosecutor bemoans shortage of investigators
This content was published on
The Swiss Office of the Attorney General complains of unresolved shortage of investigators that hinder its efforts to prosecute serious criminals.
ECHR condemns Swiss failure to protect woman from violence
This content was published on
Switzerland did not provide a woman with sufficient protection against her partner who had been violent in the past, rules the ECHR.
This content was published on
In Switzerland, 2.2 million people are affected by non-communicable diseases, partly because people are not eating a balanced diet.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Israel seeks Swiss help in identifying undeclared accounts
This content was published on
The Israeli finance ministry is looking for information on Israelis who may have undeclared assets at two Swiss private banks.
Switzerland alarmed by recent Israel-Gaza violence
This content was published on
The Swiss foreign ministry says it is deeply concerned by the recent upsurge in violence in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel.
This content was published on
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis on Sunday called for pragmatic solutions in the Middle East conflict at a “Switzerland-Israel day” in southern Switzerland but also highlighted Swiss-Israeli ties.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.