Jewish Agency Chair Avraham Burg has demanded the Swiss government make an immediate public apology for its ambassador’s statement that there is a war between Switzerland and the Jewish organizations. The ambassador, Carlo Jagmetti, made the statement in a secret memo sent last month to Swiss Deputy Foreign Minister Thomas Borer, which was published yesterday in the Swiss media.
Reportedly, the Jewish organizations are not considering taking retaliatory measures against the Swiss government at this stage, as was considered after the former Swiss president’s remarks about "Jewish blackmail". This is because the present case involves a much lower-ranking official, not the country’s senior political figure. In addition, the Jewish organizations are not interested in creating a negative public image for themselves.
In an interview with Israel Army Radio, Burg stated Monday, "If the ambassador defines us as enemies, he will get a war. I have no intention of losing this battle, because we are right. The property is ours and justice will be ours; the only thing I expect is that the Swiss government will respond in a manner to convince us that this was merely a slip of the tongue."
Burg added he hopes the Swiss will say about "Jagmetti the kind of things we say when someone fires indiscriminately. We say they are crazy. They should say that kind of thing about Jagmetti and express their position by recalling him from Washington.
"The Swiss government position will stand up to only one test: where he, his belongings and his job are in the near future. If they are in New York, I will know the Swiss apology was only lip service. If he is on his way home, with appropriate sanctions, I will know they mean what they say."