He has lodged an oral question to be answered at next week’s States meeting.
Pictured: Deputy Gavin St Pier is asking for a formal statement to be made by P&R backing calls for a ceasefire.
Despite the backlog in States business, including the adjourned debate on the motion of no confidence in P&R and matters such as the 2024 Benefits Uprating Report, which needs tackling, Deputy St Pier intends to ask Deputy Peter Ferbrache for an update on his past statement following the events of 7 October.
Hamas launched an attack on a music festival that day with the P&R President issuing a statement on 10 October.
He said: “On behalf of the Government of Guernsey, I am appalled at the barbaric attacks against the people of Israel, including civilians of all ages.
“Like the UK, we stand with Israel unequivocally against these acts of terrorism.
“We are equally committed to ensuring members of the Jewish community in our small part of the British Isles feel safe and secure. I stress, on behalf of all members of our community, that we very much have the people of Israel in our thoughts at all times.”
Pictured: Deputy Peter Ferbrache’s full statement issued after the Hamas attack on 7 October.
Deputy St Pier said that P&R “rightly condemned Hamas’ terrorism” in the statement above, but “eight weeks’ later, many in (our) community want to know what their government’s position is – even though we all know it will make no difference on (the) ground but that’s not the point.”
Deputy St Pier’s question to P&R has come days after an event in St Peter Port which was dubbed “Guernsey 4 Gaza”.
The organisers had planned for Saturday’s gathering and march “to bring the Guernsey community together to continue to raise awareness of the humanitarian situation created in the region of Gaza, Palestine. To demonstrate that as civilians of the Bailiwick of Guernsey that we don’t unequivocally support the actions taken in part or full within the Occupied Palestinian Territories region over the past seven weeks and that there is no cause justifiable to target intentionally or unintentionally with such reckless military force in such a heavily civilian populated area that by nature of such actions has killed more than 14,000 civilians, injured or maimed tens of thousands more civilians with over 7000 civilians still unaccounted for. Of those it is estimated more than 4,700 are children”.
The organisers had stated that their “ultimate goal is to support a permanent ceasefire within Gaza, Palestine, restore to an acceptable standard of humanity and living and provide, where applicable, aid during and post the current attacks”.
While the demonstration did pass off peacefully in the main, Guernsey Police have confirmed that enquiries are ongoing following reports made to officers of ‘hate speech’ being used during the event.
Other protests against Guernsey’s lack of definitive stance in favour of a ceasefire have led to a petition being launched – with just over 200 signatures at the time of writing – while Visit Guernsey’s representative in France quit her job because of the “States’ silence”.
READ MORE…
Peaceful demonstration to be held by ‘Guernsey for Gaza’
Letter sent to deputies calling for support of Gaza ceasefire
Local petition launched for Gaza ceasefire
Visit Guernsey representative quits over States’ silence on ceasefire
READER LETTER: “Don’t allow your disgust for the actions of Hamas rob you of your humanity”