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
In Switzerland, New Year brings ‘burqa ban’ and pension hikes
Have you heard something about Swiss diplomacy that you’d like us to fact check?
Not all information circulating about Switzerland’s foreign relations is accurate or well understood. Tell us what you'd like us to fact check or clarify.
Swiss scientists discover unusual zones in Earth’s mantle
This content was published on
Using high-resolution models to study the Earth's mantle, scientists have identified zones of rocks in the lower mantle that are colder, or have a different composition, than surrounding rocks.
Egyptian diplomat’s murder: prosecutor calls for acquittal of defendant’s girlfriend
This content was published on
The Swiss attorney general has called for the girlfriend of the main defendant in the case of the assassination of an Egyptian diplomat in Geneva in 1995 to be acquitted. The woman is charged with complicity.
Low-cost e-tailers Temu and Shein put Swiss retail sector under pressure
This content was published on
Most Swiss retailers are concerned by the stiff competition from China's low-cost online platforms Temu and Shein, according to a survey.
This content was published on
More and more offices are standing empty in Switzerland's major cities. Nevertheless, new office constructions are likely to increase in the future, a study shows.
Zoos should consider culling surplus animals to regulate populations, say researchers
This content was published on
Researchers from the University of Zurich say zoos must rethink population management and allow animals to reproduce naturally - zoos should then cull surplus animals.
Swiss billionaire Martin Haefner creates foundation
This content was published on
Martin Haefner, owner of the car importer Amag and one of Switzerland's richest citizens, has set up a foundation with his wife Marianne.
Swiss army cuts uniform distribution to save millions
This content was published on
Members of the Swiss Armed Forces will only receive a distinctive grey dress uniform, the famous "Tenü A", for representational purposes in the future as a cost-cutting measure to save CHF55 million.
Swiss, Danish tourists among three dead in Australian plane crash
This content was published on
A light aircraft crashed during take-off from a tourist island in Western Australia, killing three people including Swiss and Danish tourists and injuring three others, authorities said on Wednesday.
Presidents of Ukraine and Switzerland discuss future meeting
This content was published on
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Swiss counterpart, Karin Keller-Sutter, have held talks by phone to prepare a future bilateral meeting, it was announced on Wednesday.
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.