Does it harm Switzerland’s good offices if it bans Palestinian militant group Hamas? Parliament has been debating this for years. Now the arguments in favour of a ban have won. Until now, Switzerland has deliberately exercised restraint in banning terrorist organisations, preferring to keep its doors open. “We talk to everyone” is the slogan of Swiss diplomacy. This also applied to Hamas. Switzerland maintained a discreet but at times intensive dialogue with Hamas for decades, until just a few years ago. “Switzerland uses its contacts with Hamas in Gaza to urge them to comply with international humanitarian law” – this was how the government explained its policy in 2017, when the call to ban Hamas first emerged in the Swiss parliament. Even then, the government emphasised the importance of good offices in its foreign policy. It also justified its so-called contact policy with Hamas by saying Switzerland’s engagement “is aimed at preventing violent extremism”. This didn’t work. In ...
