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WQ.211/2024
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS
BY DEPUTY M. TADIER OF ST. BRELADE
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON TUESDAY 28th MAY 2024
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 4th JUNE 2024
Question
“Will the Minister advise –
- whether there has been any discussion in his Department or at the Council of Ministers about how Jersey should react, in respect of its trade relations with Israel, to the International Court of Justice’s ruling that Israel should cease all military action (including the killing of civilians) in Rafah, and to Israel’s failure to comply with this order; and
- whether he has decided that trade relations with Israel will continue as usual?”
Answer
- There have been no discussions within my department or at the Council of Ministers on the International Court of Justice’s majority ruling and its impact on trade relations with Israel. As outlined in part (b), the Government of Jersey cannot negotiate international trade agreements bilaterally and is not directly engaged in any trade discussions with Israel.
Colleagues will be aware that, following the debate held in the States Assembly earlier this year on P.7/2024, I have written to UK Ministerial counterparts to express the view of the Assembly on this matter. That view included condemnation of ‘all acts of aggression which violate international law and result in death and harm to civilians’ as well as supporting an ‘immediate suspension of hostilities’.
- The Government of Jersey does not negotiate international trade agreements on a bilateral basis, and we are not engaged in bilateral discussions with Israel on trade matters.
As a sovereign jurisdiction, the UK Government enters into discussions with third countries to establish new trade agreements, and it consults and represents Jersey’s interests, in line with our constitutional relationship, as appropriate.
The Minister for Sustainable Economic Development has outlined that it is for private businesses in Jersey to engage with customers and suppliers as they see fit, provided they follow the Island’s sanctions regime.