The editorial team at «Swiss Standpoint» wishes you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2026.

A warm welcome!

You have our trilingual online publication in front of you. We hope you will take your time to read it and recommend us further. We are happy to inform you about new publications with our newsletter.

Middle East

Why Israel wants to erase the context in the war on Gaza

The dehistoricisation of what is happening helps Israel pursue genocidal policies in Gaza

by Ilan Pappe,* Israel/England

(23 November 2023) On October 24, a statement by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres caused a sharp reaction by Israel. While addressing the UN Security Council, the UN chief said1 that while he condemned in the strongest terms the massacre committed by Hamas on October 7, he wished to remind the world that it did not take place in a vacuum. He explained that one cannot dissociate 56 years of occupation from our engagement with the tragedy that unfolded on that day.

The price of climate alarmism

“Climate fear” is not the way to a better world

by Michael Klein,* Germany

(23 November 2023) Many activists and politicians believe they have to scare people in order to stop global warming. This has massive mental consequences, especially for the younger generation.

US, Israel to open second front in Lebanon

by M. K. Bhadrakumar,* India

(16 November 2023) The announcement late Sunday night by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) headquartered in Doha about the arrival of a Ohio-class American nuclear submarine in its “area of responsibility” presages a significant escalation of the situation around the Palestine-Israel conflict.
Switzerland

E-voting – a threat to democracy

Software glitch in the counting of votes in the National Council elections

by Marita Brune

(16 November 2023) On 22 October 2023, the Swiss Federal Statistical Office made a grave error that had serious consequences not so much for the results of the Swiss National Council elections but rather for citizens’ trust in democracy. This once again raises the fundamental question of the risks of e-voting. The incorrect result was caused by a software problem: three cantons were working with an older version and the error occurred when the results were transmitted to the federal government.

Middle East

Israel and the United Nations

by Karin Leukefeld,* Germany/Syria

(16 November 2023) Israel has problems with the United Nations. When it comes to the country’s conflict with Palestine, Israeli diplomats quickly are out of control and challenge the world organisation and its member states. The ongoing bombardment of the population in Gaza, of densely populated neighbourhoods, refugee camps, schools, hospitals, civilian infrastructure, journalists and their families show that Israel is ignoring central agreements of international law.

The great Chinese realignment

by Guy Mettan,* Geneva

(16 November 2023) Responding to a Chinese invitation, I participated for around eight days in various meetings organised on the “Third New Silk Roads Summit” which was held in Beijing on October 17 and 18. By its scale, this forum was the largest international event since the Winter Olympic Games were held in February 2022. More than 130 countries, dozens of heads of state, prime ministers, and ministers from all backgrounds and all obediences were to be seen there, with the notable exclusion of Westerners and the G7, only represented by neighbouring Japan and a few leaders from the Balkans.