Jersey's chief minister appalled by events in Gaza
Jersey's chief minister said he was "absolutely appalled and distressed at the tragic circumstances that continue to unfold in Gaza".Deputy Lyndon Farnham was responding to a question asked in the States Assembly on Tuesday by Constable Karen Shenton Stone, who asked if he would commit Jersey to use its voice and resources to ensure aid can reach Gaza.Constable Shenton Stone quoted a UN-backed assessment which found the entire population of Gaza was at critical risk of famine.Israel's security cabinet said it had approved, in principle, a plan to deliver aid through private companies, which would end a two-month blockade the UN said had caused severe food shortages, despite opposition from the UN and its humanitarian partners, who say they will not co-operate because it appears to "weaponise" aid.
The assessment said Gaza's population of about 2.1 million Palestinians is at "critical risk" of famine and faces "extreme levels of food insecurity" as an Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid continues.When addressing the chief minister, Shenton-Stone referred to the island's recent 80th anniversary of Liberation Day where islanders reflected on their "experiences of starvation during occupation".Farnham responded: "There is a potential for a major famine unfolding in Gaza and everyone needs to work together to end this situation as soon as possible and Jersey will play its part."The UK is responsible for the defence and foreign affairs of the island, but Jersey's external relations minister meets with counterparts in Westminster to advocate for Jersey's interests on the international stage.
'Making our views known'
Israel's security cabinet has approved a plan to expand its military offensive against Hamas which includes the "capture" of Gaza and the holding of its territory, according to an Israeli official.The chief minister said: "I strongly endorse a recent common statement made by the UK's minister for the Middle East in parliament in which he outlined the UK government's fierce opposition to any of expansion of the Israeli defence forces operation in Gaza including the reported plans for a full military operation."I know the external relations minister and his team are making our views known vociferously in Westminster and we will continue to do so."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Tariffs: US and China set to meet for trade talks in London
A new round of talks aimed at resolving a trade war between the US and China is set take place in London on President Donald Trump announced on Friday that a senior US delegation would meet Chinese representatives. Over weekend, Beijing's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Vice Premier He Lifeng will attend the announcements came after Trump and China's leader Xi Jinping had a phone conversation last week, which the US president described as a "very good talk".Last month, the world's two biggest economies agreed a temporary truce to lower import taxes on goods being traded between them, but since then both countries have accused the other of breaching the deal. Writing on his Truth Social platform on Friday, Trump said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer would meet Chinese officials in London on Saturday, China's foreign ministry said Vice Premier He would be in the UK between 8 and 13 June, and that a meeting of the "China-US economic and trade mechanism" would take new round of negotiations came after Trump said his phone conversation with Xi on Thursday mainly focused on trade and had "resulted in a very positive conclusion for both countries".According to Chinese state news agency Xinhua, Xi told Trump that the US should "withdraw the negative measures it has taken against China".The call was the first time the two leaders had spoken since the trade war erupted in Trump announced sweeping tariffs on imports from a number of countries earlier this year, China was the hardest hit. Beijing responded with its own higher rates on US imports, and this triggered tit-for-tat increases that peaked at 145%.In May, talks held in Switzerland led to a temporary truce that Trump called a "total reset".It brought US tariffs on Chinese products down to 30%, while Beijing slashed levies on US imports to 10% and promised to lift barriers on critical mineral agreement gave both sides a 90-day deadline to try to reach a trade deal. But since then, relations appeared to have soured. Last month, Trump said China had "totally violated its agreement with us", and then a few days later China said the US had "severely violated" the US accused China of failing to restart shipments of critical minerals and rare earth magnets vital to car and computer Saturday, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said it had approved some applications for rare earth export licences, although it did not provide details of which countries announcement came after Trump said on Friday that Xi had agreed to restart trade in rare earth speaking on Sunday, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told CBS News that "those exports of critical minerals have been getting released at a rate that is, you know, higher than it was, but not as high as we believe we agreed to in Geneva".
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Israeli military ‘has boarded Greta Thunberg's boat'
The Israeli military has boarded Greta Thunberg's aid boat to stop it reaching the Gaza Strip, her supporters have claimed. Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group assisting the activists aboard the Madleen sailboat, reported losing contact with the vessel shortly after 1am BST. The crew had earlier reported that drones were flying above them and spraying a chemical. 'The Madleen is currently under assault in international waters,' the Freedom Flotilla Coalition wrote on Telegram. 'Quadcopters are surrounding the ship, spraying it with a white irritant substance. Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio.' Thunberg, the prominent climate campaigner, was one of a dozen activists to set sail from Sicily a week ago on a boat carrying food and medical supplies, with the aim of breaking Israel's sea blockade of Gaza. On Sunday, Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, vowed to 'take whatever measures necessary' to stop her vessel docking in the war-ravaged territory. 'You should turn back – because you will not reach Gaza,' Mr Katz said, addressing the 22-year-old Thunberg directly, and describing her and her companions as 'the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propaganda spokespeople'. He went on: 'I have instructed the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) to act so that the 'Madeleine' hate flotilla does not reach the shores of Gaza – and to take any means necessary to that end. 'Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or assist terrorist organisations – at sea, in the air and on land.'
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Trump's bravado has totally backfired. China has the President right where it wants him - for one devastating reason: DOMINIC LAWSON
'Ladies and gentlemen, Britain is back on the world stage.' This, preposterously, was how Sir Keir Starmer addressed European leaders at an event in London to mark his dismal deal with Brussels last month. But today our capital really will be the stage on which global attention is focused: representatives of the governments of China and the US – including Donald Trump 's Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – have flown in for negotiations designed to defuse the trade war between the world's two mightiest economic powers.
