The event, to which 196 states parties were invited, was intended to lead to a reconfirmation of international humanitarian law. However, tensions rose in the weeks leading up to the meeting.
Israel, which accused Switzerland of pursuing a “revisionist” approach that would lead to new obligations, and the United States, decided to boycott the meeting. According to Arab media reports, the Palestinians were about to do the same.
Switzerland had received a mandate from the UN General Assembly in September to organise the conference within six months.
Translated from German by DeepL/mga
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