Jersey has expressed its “grave distress” at the scale of civilian loss of life in Gaza and put its weight behind an international effort calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.
In a letter sent today to UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham said he wanted to “convey the deep concern of our Government and wider community regarding the ongoing and intensifying humanitarian crisis in Gaza”.
Although recognising that Jersey, as a Crown Dependency, defers to the UK when it comes to foreign policy, Deputy Farnham added: “In light of the severe civilian impact of the current conflict, and in keeping with our values and longstanding commitment to international humanitarian principles, I believe it is both appropriate and necessary to express our position directly.”
He continued: “We are gravely distressed by the scale of civilian loss of life in Gaza, including the deaths of thousands of children and the extensive displacement and suffering of the civilian population.
“The destruction of critical infrastructure including hospitals, schools, water supplies and homes further compounds what is already a profound human tragedy.”
We are gravely distressed by the scale of civilian loss of life in Gaza
chief minister lyndon farnham
In publicly stating Jersey’s distress, Deputy Farnham has aligned the island with a growing chorus of opposition to Israeli action in Gaza.
On Monday, 25 countries, including the UK, Australia, Japan and EU nations, issued a joint statement condemning Israel for the “inhumane killing” of Gaza civilians and the “drip feeding of aid”.
As well as calling for an immediate ceasefire, the statement called for unrestricted access for aid agencies, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and the protection of civilians in line with international law.