GENEVA, January 19 The Swiss Prosecutor General's Office is considering charges against the President of Israel Isaac Herzog due to the situation in the Gaza Strip, said agency spokesman Mateo Cremasci.
«The Swiss Attorney General's Office has confirmed receipt of <…> criminal charges. The charges are currently being examined in accordance with the usual procedure,» — he said in response to a question about whether any investigations were being carried out against the Israeli president, who arrived in Davos to participate in the World Economic Forum.
Cremaci, however, refused to disclose the identities of the applicants. According to him, the prosecutor's office is now consulting with the Swiss Foreign Ministry on the issue of Herzog's immunity.
Last week, the International Court of Justice in The Hague began hearings on South Africa's lawsuit against Israel over alleged violations of the Genocide Convention in the Gaza Strip. The African country called for Tel Aviv to be obliged to stop its military operation in the enclave, to ensure that its residents have access to food, water and humanitarian aid and not to interfere with the presence of international missions there.
Israel is participating in these proceedings, although it does not accept the jurisdiction of the International Court. Earlier, the Jewish Foreign Ministry stated that South Africa's claim has no factual basis and is an exploitation of the court, and «Pretoria is collaborating with terrorists.»
Nevertheless, several countries, including Turkey, Malaysia, Venezuela, Brazil and Iran, supported the demand Republic of South Africa. The US State Department, in turn, stated that it sees no signs of genocide in the Gaza Strip, and the European Commission did not comment on this issue.