Yasser Abed Rabbo, head of the Palestinian delegation, together with Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, and the chief of Israeli delegation, Yossi Beilin, (from left to right), during the signing ceremony for the Geneva Accord, in Switzerland in December 2003.
Keystone/Sandro Campardo
Switzerland is to withdraw its financial support for a conflict settlement between Israeli and Palestinian civil societies.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/urs
Español
es
Suiza suspende la financiación de la Iniciativa de Ginebra
The foreign ministry said it decided to phase out its funding by 2024 following an external evaluation, saying the Geneva Initiative was important in the beginning but its effectiveness and impact diminished over the past two decades.
It also lacked political backing both from Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, according to a statementExternal link released on Tuesday.
Switzerland has contributed about CHF18 million ($19.7 million) to the initiative since its launch in 2003. From 2009 it gradually reduced its annual financial support from CHF1 million to CHF180,000 last year.
The Geneva Initiative led to the Geneva AccordExternal link nearly 20 years ago and is considered a reference document to show options for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.
The Swiss foreign ministry said it remains committed to promoting peace in the Middle East and it would allocate the funding for the Geneva Initiative to other similar efforts as of next year.
Most Read Swiss Abroad
More
How centuries of Swiss emigrants left their mark on the US
Bodycams: essential for good law enforcement, or a privacy risk?
Did you ever come across bodycams in your place of residence and if so, how do you think the use of bodycams alter the relationship between the public and (transport) police?
This content was published on
Former Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei has filed a criminal complaint against the Geneva prosecutor for slander.
Swiss energy minister suggests way forward for new nuclear power plants
This content was published on
Swiss Energy Minister Albert Rösti says existing nuclear power plant sites in Switzerland could be used for new nuclear power plants.
This content was published on
Swiss wheelchair racer Catherine Debrunner won the 5,000 metres to bring home Switzerland’s first gold medal at the Paralympics in Paris.
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
Swiss back efforts to revive Middle East peace process
This content was published on
“We are ready to contribute to this new dynamic towards a just and long-lasting peace … which is based on a negotiated two-state solution,” he declared at the opening of an international conference in Paris on Friday. France convened foreign ministers from major powers to try to put Israeli-Palestinian peace-making back on the international agenda…
This content was published on
Officials at the Swiss Foreign Ministry confirmed that they had sounded out interested parties. They refused to name their contacts, but they are understood to have been in touch with – among others – Israeli, Palestinian and American diplomats. “We are not being selective in our approach. We want to contact all actors playing an…
This content was published on
Dubbed the “Geneva Accord”, the initiative is the brainchild of Swiss academic, Alexis Keller. Six weeks after wrapping up secret negotiations in Jordan, the signatories to the Geneva Accord will officially publish the document at a ceremony in the lakeside city. The launch of the peace plan marks a return to the initiative’s source, because…
This content was published on
A senior Swiss foreign ministry official, Thomas Greminger, confirmed the existence of the so-called “Swiss document” on Thursday, which dates back to 2006. Over the past few days, former Palestinian Foreign Minister and top Hamas official Mahmoud al-Zahar and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is also known as Abu Mazen, have publicly discussed the existence…
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.