Swiss Report Urging ‘War’ Over Jewish Assets Fuels Controversy

ZURICH, Switzerland — This nation’s strained ties with Jewish organizations worsened Sunday with publication of a leaked document in which Bern’s envoy to Washington called for “waging war” against Jewish groups and other vocal critics.

Swiss Jewish leaders assailed the comments, which the Sonntags Zeitung weekly said came from a confidential strategy paper that Ambassador Carlo Jagmetti sent to Bern last month on how to handle a controversy over dormant accounts in Swiss banks of World War II Holocaust victims.

“This is a war that Switzerland must wage and win on the foreign and domestic front,” said the document.

“You cannot trust most of the adversaries,” it said.

Sonntags Zeitung said the “adversaries” to whom Jagmetti referred were Jewish groups and U.S. Sen. Alfonse M. D’Amato (R-N.Y.), who are seeking compensation for Holocaust victims.

The document recommended that Switzerland agree to compensation to settle Jewish claims “because Jewish circles and Sen. D’Amato must be satisfied quickly.”