Always neutral, never with terrorists

Hany Ghoraba, Senior Fellow of the Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT), is an Egyptian writer, political and counter-terrorism analyst at the weekly newspaper Al Ahram and regular contributor to the BBC. He is the author …

Always neutral, never with terrorists

Hany Ghoraba, Senior Fellow of the Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT), is an Egyptian writer, political and counter-terrorism analyst at the weekly newspaper Al Ahram and regular contributor to the BBC. He is the author of Egypt’s Arab Spring: The Long and Winding Road to Democracy He has written for and collaborated with over a dozen international newspapers, periodicals and networks, including Newsmax, OANN, BBC Radio, CSP, MEF, American Spectator, American Thinker, Arab Weekly and Al Arabiya News. No suspicion of “Zionism” therefore, but of investigative journalism which still exists even in Egypt.

The position of Switzerland

In a long report taken from the United with Israel website, Ghoraba summarizes what might appear to be a reversal of trend but is not: Switzerland remains the neutral country par excellence but its neutrality does not extend to terrorist groups. Banal? Not even that much. Because with the Protestant pragmatism that characterizes it, Switzerland has taken a series of measures that leave no room for doubt: always neutral, never with terrorists.

Switzerland is still the world’s private banking paradise today, with over $9.4 trillion in assets as of 2023 held in Swiss banks. Half of these belong to foreign accounts and entities. The Swiss banking code of secrecy dates back to 1713, but today the country collaborates within a number of international organizations to combat these illicit activities, including the Counter-Terrorism Action Group (CTAG), affiliated with the G8. Knowing that eliminating funding for Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorists will not be easy, Switzerland has done so anyway a series of rules are being studied aimed at identifying which accounts can be traced back to terrorists. Thereby investigating front organizations, NGOs and entities. In particular – underlines Ghoraba in his investigation – Switzerland is trying to block funding for international organizations that could be used for terrorism even if they bear the UN brand, such as the controversial UNRWA.

First peace, then the two states