THERE are no current plans to publish a letter sent to the UK Justice Minister informing him of the States Assembly’s decision to call for an “immediate suspension of hostilities” in Gaza, the JEP understands.
In late February, States Members voted overwhelmingly to notify the UK Parliament of their decision to join international calls for a ceasefire in the Middle East after agreeing to amend backbencher Deputy Montfort Tadier’s proposition.
Changes included swapping a “permanent ceasefire” for an “immediate suspension of hostilities”, and removing references to “potential acts of genocide”.
External Relations Minister Ian Gorst also removed reference to a “two-state solution” in his amendments, which he said had been problematic “for a number of Islanders”.
Earlier this week, the JEP asked whether the letter would be published in the interest of transparency, and reporters were told that the government does not usually release inter-governmental correspondence.
A statement from the government said that the External Relations Minister wrote to the UK Justice Minister responsible for Crown Dependency relations on 13 March, two weeks after the vote, to inform him of the decision the States Assembly had taken.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office were also made aware of the decision, the statement said.
It continued: “The External Relations Minister meets frequently with UK ministers and Parliamentarians as part of his London engagement programme.
“He will raise international matters in which Jersey has an interest, including the Israel-Gaza conflict and the decision of the States Assembly, where relevant during the course of those discussions.”
The Israel-Gaza war began when Hamas gunmen carried out an attack on southern Israel on 7 October, killing around 1,200 people and taking 253 hostage.
More than 34,000 people, most of them children and women, have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
