Swiss Gaza flotilla members contest government bill for consular aid

The Swiss foreign ministry has called on Swiss members of the Gaza flotilla to reimburse the cost for consular protection and emergency services provided by the government. The flotilla members had been arrested and imprisoned by Israel in October while attempting to break the humanitarian blockade. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) is charging Swiss nationals administrative and emergency costs of between CHF300 ($372) and CHF1,047. A total of 19 participants in "Waves of Freedom" and one in "Thousand Madleens to Gaza" are affected by these bills. According to the FDFA, the difference in amounts reflects the workload involved in providing consular protection to each citizen: interventions with the Israeli authorities, prison visits of varying lengths, and availability and assistance on returning to Switzerland. A bill deemed incomprehensible Sébastien Dubugnon was part of the group expelled to Turkey. It ...