CHANGES in wording to a proposition which supported international calls for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza “water down” its intended purpose, according to the original proposer.
External Relations Minister Ian Gorst has lodged an amendment to Deputy Montfort Tadier’s proposition, which is due to be debated in the States Assembly on Tuesday.
Debates on similar proposals in the UK House of Commons this week descended into chaos, with MPs storming out in protest at the Speaker’s decision to accept a Labour amendment.
Deputy Gorst said that his changes, which have the support of the Chief Minister, aim to “reflect the sensitivities raised by the conflict, both at home and abroad, relating to religious and national communities”.
But Deputy Tadier has criticised the minister for some of the alterations, saying that he feels they are designed to “undermine” and “water down [his] proposition”, even after both of them met to discuss potential changes.
Deputy Gorst has proposed changing “a permanent ceasefire” to “an immediate suspension of hostilities”, and mentions of “an immediate end to the military occupation of Palestine” have been replaced with references specifically to “a two-state solution which provides justice, freedom from occupation, and security for both Israelis and Palestinians”.
He also hopes to remove reference to “potential acts of genocide” in the region, a matter which he said is “contested internationally and has not been ruled upon in relation to the conflict in Gaza”.
The final part of the proposition originally asked Members “to request that the Government of Jersey express the view of the Assembly on this matter to the UK Government”.
With Deputy Gorst’s changes, it asks them “to request that the Government of Jersey updates the Assembly over the steps taken by ministers to raise this matter with the UK Government”.
Deputy Tadier said the amendment was “disappointing”, adding: “One of the main drivers of the proposition is to put international pressure on calls for a ceasefire now, not just a suspension or pause in hostility.
“Jersey needs to differentiate from the UK and say whether it’s got a different position, or whether the UK can act on our behalf.
“This is an opportunity for the States Assembly to exercise its own voice and speak for the people of Jersey.”
He referred to the importance of an interim ruling of the International Court of Justice which recently found that “what is going on in Gaza has been considered a plausible genocide”.
“Prescribing a two-state solution is not for us as a small island to say,” Deputy Tadier continued.
He added that he was “disappointed” about the minister’s delay in bringing the amendment, after already agreeing to push back the debate several weeks to allow Deputy Gorst more time.
Deputy Gorst argued that the changes were to “better reflect Jersey’s established constitutional position” which means the UK government is “ultimately responsible for the defence and international relations of Jersey”.
The amendment therefore brings the proposition closer to UK foreign policy, which Deputy Tadier is hoping to speak out against.
Deputy Gorst added that he wanted “to ensure that any united expression of the Assembly is appropriately balanced and adequately nuanced to reflect the complexity and delicacy of the ongoing situation in Israel and Gaza” and that “consideration of these difficult issues could have been achieved through other mechanisms”, such as an In-Committee debate.
