Switzerland has announced that it will host an international conference on the occupied Palestinian territories on 7 March, with the participation of several signatories to the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Nicolas Bideau, spokesman for the Swiss Foreign Ministry, said in a statement that his country has invited 196 States Parties to the Geneva Conventions to participate in this week’s conference on the situation of the Palestinians in the occupied territories, explaining that this conference will be held in Geneva at the invitation of the United Nations General Assembly, with the participation of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, as was the case in 1999, 2001 and 2014.

The UN General Assembly asked Switzerland to host this conference last September, as the Israeli occupation continues its devastating aggression against the Gaza Strip.