Financial aid sent to Israel (FOI)

​Request

I would like to find out how much (if any) financial aid/support/money of any kind has been sent from Jersey to Israel's government, or Israeli charities that support settlers or the Israeli Defence Forces, since October 7th 2023.

I ask as Jersey being a financial centre, I am concerned that money sent from Jersey to Israel, may be enabling arms trade, potentially making Jersey complicit in Israel's genocide on the Palestinian people, their war crimes in Gaza and now Lebanon. 

If it would also be possible to find out how much(if any) financial aid has been sent to UNRWA, Unicef, Save the Children, Warcry UK or any charities that are trying to provide aid to Palestine since October 7th 2023, that would be much appreciated. 

Thank you!

Response

Jersey Overseas Aid Commission (JOAC) is not a Scheduled Public Authority under the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011, and therefore is not subject to Freedom of information Legislation. The requested information therefore is not held by the Government of Jersey and Article 3 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 applies. 

However, the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission has asked the below be published on their behalf in response to the question posed.  

JOAC does not give any bi-literal aid and therefore does not give money to governments.

Prior to the horrific and deadly attack in Israel by Palestinian armed groups in Gaza on 7 October 2023, JOAC had been supporting various health initiatives in Gaza and the wider the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt). 

JOAC only allocates its international aid and relief budget to the poorest places in the world. Not only to ensure the effectiveness of Jersey’s aid is maximised, but also to ensure it complies with the international definition of Official Development Assistance (ODA) as defined by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC).

The OECD-DAC list of ODA eligible recipient countries is comprised of low and middle-income territories. Israel has one of the largest economies in the world and as such, is not included on the list of ODA eligible recipient countries.

​Since 7 October 2023 – JOAC has made six allocations to support the humanitarian response in the occupied Palestinian territories, and wider Region (see Table 1). 

JOAC has not directly allocated funding to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as it is not a pre-approved JOA humanitarian partner. 

As per the attached table, JOAC have supported UNICEF UK’s response in Lebanon. Other UK charities supported by JOAC who are working to address humanitarian needs in Gaza and the wider region include International Health Partners. JOAC have not to date supported Save the Children or Warcry UK – the latter of which is not on JOAC’s approved partner list.

Further information relating to Jersey Overseas Aid’s Humanitarian Allocations is available via their website which can be accessed via the link below. Article 23 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 applies. 

Should you wish to learn more about how JOAC allocates humanitarian funding, please do not hesitate to contact them directly: (enquiries@joa.je).

JOAC Website: Home | Jersey Overseas Aid Commission​

Articles applied 

Article 3 - Meaning of “information held by a public authority”

For the purposes of this Law, information is held by a public authority if –

(a)     it is held by the authority, otherwise than on behalf of another person; or

(b)     it is held by another person on behalf of the authority.

Article 23 - Information accessible to applicant by other means

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it is reasonably available to the applicant, otherwise than under this Law, whether or not free of charge.

(2) A scheduled public authority that refuses an application for information on this ground must make reasonable efforts to inform the applicant where the applicant may obtain the information.​