Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs Freezes Funding for Israeli and Palestinian Human Rights Organizations

Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the suspension of funding for 11 Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations that work to promote and protect Palestinian rights in Israel and the territories. This decision follows the recent Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, leading to a renewed hostilities situation in the Middle East.

The Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the funding freeze is based on a need to examine whether the 11 organizations comply with defined "rules of conduct," along with a clause against discrimination and incitement to violence to which the organizations are obligated. The spokesperson for the Swiss Foreign Ministry, Andreas Heller, emphasized that while there is no evidence of violations by these organizations, the issue is currently under investigation.

The Israeli organizations affected by this funding freeze include the Center for the Protection of the Individual, Doctors for Human Rights, Adalah, and Gisha. On the Palestinian side, the impacted organizations are al-Shabaqa, Hamla, the Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center (JLAC), Mafatah, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO), and the Women's Center for Legal Advice (WCLAC).

The decision to halt support is seen as unusual, especially concerning the Israeli organizations, given Switzerland's long history of support for human rights initiatives in the region. Notably, an external report prepared last August recommended continuing support for eight of the 11 organizations, which included all Israeli organizations.

This development is not isolated, as Switzerland is not the only country reconsidering its support for civilian projects related to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. For instance, the German government recently announced the freezing of 72 million euros in humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, and the European Union is also reviewing its aid commitments.

Adalah, one of the affected organizations, expressed its concern over the lack of reasons provided for the decision. Over the past two decades, Adalah has received significant support from the Swiss government, approximately $210,000 per year. Physicians for Human Rights, another affected organization, also highlighted the importance of the Swiss support it receives.

The CEO of HaMoked for the Protection of Individuals, Jessica Montal, pointed out that the Swiss funding constitutes around 20% of the organization's budget. She expressed frustration, stating, "Human rights organizations that operate under impossible conditions, the Swiss government announces a funding freeze without any clear explanation and without justification."

Gisha, which focuses on human rights issues arising from Israeli bombings and the blockade of the Gaza Strip, expressed the hope that Switzerland would act to bring an end to the war, protect citizens, and facilitate humanitarian aid access in Gaza.

This decision raises questions about the ongoing impact on humanitarian and human rights efforts in the region, as well as the broader implications of funding changes by international governments in response to the recent developments in the Middle East.