Controversy Mounts Over Israeli Arms Deal

Swiss Information Service, As tensions in the Middle East rise, calls are mounting for Switzerland to stop its military collaboration with Israel and other countries in the region. In particular, the Green Party and an anti-war group want the Swiss government to call off the purchase of a telecommunications system from Israel, part of the latest army procurement programme. 
 
Switzerland's reaction to Israel's military intervention in Lebanon was clear. In a statement released on July 13, the foreign ministry criticised the Israeli attacks as “disproportionate”, while also condemning the aggression by militant Islamic group Hezbollah as violation of international human rights. 
 
But the Green Party and the Group for Switzerland without an Army want the government to go a step further. They have called on Switzerland to stop trade in weapons and military equipment with Israel and other countries in the Middle East. 
 
“Our demand sticks to the spirit of the federal law on military equipment,” Green Party parliamentarian Josef Lang told swissinfo. “It also mirrors the population's feelings, because people don't want Switzerland to undertake military collaboration with countries at war.” 
 
In a statement, the Group for Switzerland without an Army said that in February 2005 Defence Minister Samuel Schmid had justified the decision to restart arms deals with Israel