Israel President Faces Criminal Complaint in Switzerland

Swiss prosecutors confirmed they received a criminal complaint against Israeli President Isaac Herzog during his attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he discussed the Gaza war. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office (BA) stated that the complaint would undergo standard examination procedures, and they are coordinating with the foreign ministry to assess the immunity status of President Herzog. Details of the complaint or the complainants were not disclosed.

A statement reportedly from the complainants, titled “Legal Action Against Crimes Against Humanity,” obtained by AFP, indicates that charges were filed in several Swiss cantons. The plaintiffs seek criminal prosecution, paralleling a case presented by South Africa at the UN’s International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. The statement argues that immunity could be lifted in cases of alleged crimes against humanity, a condition they believe applies in this case.

South Africa’s case at the ICJ alleges that Israel violated the 1948 UN Genocide Convention, demanding cessation of the offensive in Gaza. Israel has criticized this case as distorted. The Gaza Strip has suffered heavily since the October 7 attacks by Hamas, resulting in numerous civilian casualties. In response, Israel launched a substantial offensive, resulting in significant Palestinian casualties, with a high percentage being women, children, and adolescents, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.

President Herzog, addressing the Davos forum, maintained that Israel’s actions were in self-defense and criticized South Africa’s case. He expressed concern for the suffering in Gaza, questioning alternative defense methods against what he described as a vast and deeply embedded infrastructure of terror.