Publication

This paper describes Switzerland's Middle East policy and how it differs from US and EU policies. The author explains that this has given rise to controversies and argues that while there are good reasons for the Swiss to pursue a conflict resolution strategy based on mediation and dialogue with Iran and militant Islamist organizations, the Swiss niche strategy is characterized by some tensions and a lack of coherence. The paper states that the key question is to what extent Switzerland, as a western state, can and should be building bridges between the Muslim world and the West.