Editing Foreign relations of Israel (section)

=== Switzerland ===
{{Main|Israel–Switzerland relations}}

[[File:Flickr - Israel Defense Forces - Chief of the Swiss Armed forces Visits Israel.jpg|thumb|The Chief of the [[Military of Switzerland|Swiss Armed Forces]], André Blattmann, visiting Israel as a guest of [[Israel Defense Forces|IDF]] [[Chief of General Staff (Israel)|Chief of General Staff]], [[Benny Gantz]], 27 November 2011]]
The [[First Zionist Congress]] was held in Basel in 1897, and 15 out of a total of 22 congresses were held in Switzerland. Before the establishment of the State of Israel, Switzerland maintained a consulate in Jerusalem and a consular agency in Tel Aviv. It recognized the new state in 1949 and opened a consulate in Tel Aviv, which was upgraded to an embassy in 1958. The Swiss community in Israel is the largest in the Asian region, totalling around 12,000 persons.<ref name="switzerland1">{{cite web |url=http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/reps/asia/visr/bilisr.html |title=Bilateral relations between Switzerland and Israel|publisher=Federal Department of Foreign Affairs}}</ref>

After escalation of the Middle East conflict, Switzerland halted arms sales and military cooperation with Israel from 2002 to 2005. Since 2004, there has been regular political dialogue between Switzerland and Israel.<ref name="switzerland1" />

Switzerland has represented Israel's interests in numerous countries (Hungary (1967–1989), Guinea (1967–1973), Ceylon/Sri Lanka (1970–1976), Madagascar (1973–1994), Liberia (1973–1983) and Ghana (1973–2002)). Conversely, it has represented the interests of Iran (1958–1987) and Ivory Coast (1973–1986) in Israel. It also lobbied successfully for inclusion of Magen David Adom in the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement.<ref name="switzerland1" />

On 21 April 2009, Israel recalled its ambassador for consultations due to events that occurred at the UN anti-racism conference in Geneva, Switzerland. Israeli officials, angered by a meeting between Swiss President [[Hans-Rudolf Merz]] and the Iranian president, recalled its ambassador to Switzerland, Ilan Elgar "for consultations" amid ongoing controversy over an anti-racism conference being held in Geneva.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8007440.stm Israel protests at racism talks], BBC News</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Williams |first=Dan |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-israel-switzerland-racism-sb-idUKTRE53J1LI20090420 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102125402/http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-israel-switzerland-racism-sb-idUKTRE53J1LI20090420 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 January 2016 |title=Israel recalls Switzerland envoy over racism parley |work=Reuters |date=20 April 2009}}</ref>