The affair has been shaking up the Geneva Department of Institutions and Digital Affairs (DIN) for many months. What was initially just an internal administrative procedure turned into a real legal and political battle.
According to La Tribune de Genève, a Geneva police officer, recently promoted to the rank of assistant, has just been sacked by the State of Geneva. The motive? Have served for one month in the Israeli armed forces. The agent filed an appeal demanding the annulment of his dismissal and his immediate reinstatement.
A vague legal framework despite repeated alerts
Hired in 2019 within the Geneva police, this Swiss-Israeli agent has an already established military status, having completed his military service in Israel between 2009 and 2012, and paying the exemption tax from the obligation to serve in Switzerland.
As recalled La Tribune de Genèvethe police officer, aware of geopolitical tensions and the sensitivity of his dual nationality, had, through his lawyer, sent a letter to his hierarchy from 2023 with the aim of providing a legal and institutional framework for his military obligations abroad. A request remained without response from the State.
De l’arrêt maladie à la mobilization à la frontière
According to information from La Tribune de Geneve and 20 Minutes, things accelerate at the end of 2024 when the police officer requests leave to go to Tel Aviv in order to sort out personal administrative procedures, in particular the renewal of his passport. After an initial refusal for “operational reasons”, his hierarchy ended up granting him authorization.
Still according to 20 minutes, in December of that same year, following a sick leave, the police officer went to Israel.
Once there, his status as a binational reservist caught up with him: he was mobilized by the Israeli army for a period of one month, which he carried out in a border area. Throughout his stay under foreign flags, he would have, explains 20 minutes, kept his Geneva hierarchy regularly informed of developments in his situation.
The ax of “the incompatibility of institutional values”
On his return to Switzerland, in mid-January 2025, reality suddenly caught up with him. The agent was immediately removed from the service, the State of Geneva considering that he had “voluntarily exposed himself to a situation incompatible with his professional obligations”, as explained by the Belgian daily 20 minutes, paving the way for a termination of his contract.
For the Geneva authorities, wearing a foreign uniform in a context of open war is incompatible with the duty of reserve, neutrality and the image of impartiality expected of a Swiss law enforcement agent.
At the end of long months of administrative investigation during which the department refused to make any comments, the sanction fell: dismissal was pronounced on February 13.
Legal battle and accusations of stigmatization
The police officer, who asked according to La Tribune de Genève the annulment of this decision and the granting of suspensive effect in order to regain his position and be paid until the judicial authorities decide the legitimacy of his dismissal, denounces an abusive and disproportionate measure.
Through his lawyer, Me Robert Assaël, he said: “The decision is shocking, unfounded and stems from bad faith, if not a political concern, because the [département des institutions et du numérique, ndlr] DIN knew that my client was dual national, that he had done his army in Israel, then being necessarily integrated into the reserve army and that there was therefore a minimal risk that he would be enlisted if he returned there. HAS”
The agent claims, recalls the daily 20 Minutes, to suffer a real “stigma linked to his nationality” and criticizes the absence of clear directives from the state even though he had requested them in 2023.
The Geneva Administrative Court must now decide a highly sensitive question: to what extent can cantonal civil service law restrict the freedom and legal obligations of a binational citizen abroad? The decision of the Geneva courts will be closely scrutinized by the entire Swiss civil service.
