Swiss concern over expulsion of Palestinian MP

A Palestinian MP was expelled on December 6 from East Jerusalem to Ramallah, and Switzerland is concerned about this act which is a violation of the Geneva Convention, a Foreign Ministry statement said.Switzerland is critical of the decision by the Israeli government to deport Ahmed Attoun from Jerusalem to Ramallah on December 6. It stressed that East Jerusalem is part of occupied Palestinian Territory and that Article 49 of the fourth Geneva Convention prohibits Israel as the occupying power from making forced transfers or deportations."Switzerland calls on the Israeli authorities to comply with international law by cancelling this deportation order as well as those imposed on other Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem," the statement said."Attoun was elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council in 2006. Faced with threats of deportation, he took refuge with two other Palestinian MPs in the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Jerusalem, where he lived from July 1, 2010 until his arrest on September 26, 2011. The other two parliamentarians are still on the premises of the ICRC in Jerusalem."Switzerland condemns all violations of international humanitarian law committed by all parties to the conflict. It also condemns the rocket attacks and mortar shell attacks by Palestinian militias in Gaza that are directed at the Israeli civilian population."