Scotland Commands UK to Act as First Minister Labels Israel’s Campaign in Gaza “Genocide”
SNP Demands Arms Embargo, Sanctions, and Legal Action, Amid Escalating Humanitarian Crisis
Edinburgh/London, PUREWILAYAH.COM – Scotland’s leading political factions have issued a forceful call to the UK government to break its silence and take immediate action in response to what they describe as Israel’s genocidal conduct in Gaza.
SNP’s Urgent Appeal to Prime Minister Starmer
Brendan O’Hara, spokesperson for the Scottish National Party (SNP), wrote to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on 23 August, insisting that the Labour government “cannot sit silent” while Israeli forces continue their assault in Gaza. He outlined a robust set of demands: the imposition of a full arms embargo on Israel, the immediate recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state, joining the International Court of Justice genocide case as a formal participant, enacting economic sanctions, executing international arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, and even launching a naval operation to deliver humanitarian aid directly to Gaza.
O’Hara stressed that failing to take these steps would amount to the UK breaching its international legal obligations. His call was reinforced by Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie, who demanded that both the UK and Scottish governments halt all military cooperation and arms exports to Israel. Harvie condemned the famine in Gaza as a “grotesque and totally avoidable consequence” of deliberate political choices.
First Minister Swinney Deems Gaza Campaign “Genocide”
Just a day earlier, Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney declared that Israel’s actions in Gaza amounted to genocide. Writing on X, he warned that the world “cannot look away” as Israel prepared for a full assault on Gaza City. Swinney urged the UK government to recall Parliament, sanction Israel, and halt all arms sales immediately.
Former First Minister Humza Yousaf also spoke out, declaring that “there is no doubt in my mind that the UK Government is utterly complicit in the genocide in Gaza.” He argued that Britain must take an approach similar to the international response to apartheid South Africa, which included meaningful sanctions and diplomatic isolation.
Broader Context: Humanitarian Collapse and Arms Links
These political interventions come amid the rapid collapse of humanitarian conditions in Gaza. The UN’s food security body has warned that famine has taken hold, with nearly 800,000 people facing catastrophic hunger. The crisis is increasingly recognised as a man-made disaster, requiring urgent international response.
At the same time, questions are being raised about the UK’s role. From October to December 2024 alone, Britain authorised nearly $160 million in arms exports to Israel. Human rights advocates say these sales make the UK complicit in war crimes, underscoring the urgency of the Scottish demands.
Outlook
Scotland’s leaders are mounting unprecedented pressure on London, framing the Gaza crisis as both a humanitarian catastrophe and a test of Britain’s moral and legal responsibilities. With famine spreading and international condemnation growing, the UK’s next steps could set the tone for global engagement in the conflict. (PW)
Source: PressTv