US Helping Israel to Lobby for Cancellation of Geneva Convention Conference

The United States is lending its weight to Israel’s effort to prevent Switzerland from convening a Geneva Convention conference dedicated to the issue of Palestinian accusations against the Jewish state. The Swiss are prepared to send out invitations to a December session that Israel believes will devolve into an “Israel-bashing” event akin to the Durbin conference. The meeting of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which deals with the civilian population in areas under conflict or occupied, would be focused on “the Israeli occupation” of the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip including last summer’s war between Israel and Hamas. When talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority brokered by US Secretary of State John Kerry collapsed last April, PA President Abbas signed 15 international treaties including the Fourth Geneva Convention – a move both Israel and the United States believe is unilateral and detrimental to the peace process. Canada and Australia are also helping Israel quash the conference.