Hansard

I, too, congratulate Sandra White on securing this debate, and I also pay tribute to her for her long-standing work on Palestine, and to others across the chamber.

Peace depends on there being two secure, stable and prosperous states of Israel and Palestine, living side by side. To that end, the Scottish Government has firmly and consistently encouraged

“Israel and Palestine to reach a sustainable, negotiated settlement under international law, which has as its foundation mutual recognition and the determination to co-exist peacefully.”

That is the vision at the heart of the middle east peace plan. However, the process appears to have reached an impasse. The occupation continues, settlements expand, and rocket attacks, bombardments and incursions continue in a horrific cycle of violence and destruction.

Despite considerable diplomatic efforts, the two-state solution looks to be no closer to reality. In 2013, US Secretary of State John Kerry stated that there were two years left to find a two-state solution. William Hague, the then Foreign Secretary, said the same thing in 2012. Those two years have passed, and it is clear that not enough progress has been made to change the course of history. The construction of illegal settlements continues to be tolerated—even encouraged—by the Israeli Government, and the Palestinians’ right to govern their own land seems to be as distant as ever.

There is widespread recognition that something needs to change. Sir Vincent Fean, the former British consul general to Jerusalem, wrote an article for the Sunday Herald, which was published this week, urging the international community to recognise Palestine alongside Israel, because recognition is a necessity to ending the conflict. A way must be found to break the political deadlock.

Self-determination is a right, not a privilege to be earned. It is unjust to hold out statehood as a reward for participation in negotiations. Recognising the state of Palestine would send a signal that we acknowledge the rights of the people of Palestine to self-determination; and that we support them in their endeavour to build peaceful, prosperous lives for themselves in their own land. That would also make clear the expectations of an independent state that is part of the community of nations. The people of Palestine should not allow their territories to be abused by those who seek the destruction of Israel.

Palestine has recently signed up to a number of international treaties and conventions. It should aspire to the standards that those describe on respect for human rights, on the integrity of its neighbours and on the sanctity of the lives of their people.

To support the Palestinian people’s aspirations is not to be an enemy of Israel. I am certain that the majority of Israelis and Palestinians want peace and that they want an end to the decades of violence.

We should support those who seek a peaceful political solution to the conflict, such as the 1,000 Israelis, including eminent politicians, academics and retired military officers, who have signed a petition encouraging the international community to recognise Palestine’s statehood as a necessary step for the peace and security of Palestine and Israel.

I also want to reflect on the letter that has been sent to us all by the Church of Scotland. It states:

“We reaffirm the historic commitment of the Church of Scotland to a State of Palestine with the same rights and responsibilities recognised within the international community of States, with all the rights and responsibilities attendant on that status.”

It goes further, in saying:

“We support ongoing commitment to dialogue and conversation, with particular concern to make sure that those who are on the margins and whose voices are rarely heard get the opportunity to be listened to, especially Christians who live in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.”

That issue was brought home to me by the minister and the members of St Michael’s church in my home town of Linlithgow, who have recently returned from visiting their sister church, the Holy Family Episcopal church in Reineh, near Nazareth. Sandra White was absolutely right when she said that all voices in Israel need to be heard. We urge the UK Government and the European Union to do all that is in their powers to ensure that human rights are protected and promoted.

We support all on-going international diplomatic efforts to achieve peace in the region. The UN, the world’s major powers and the Israelis and Palestinians have committed to achieving a peace that is based on two states. Accepting Palestine as a state in its own right alongside Israel should be the starting point of negotiations. It would make clear the principle that the rights of Palestinians and Israelis are equal.

As members have said, more than 130 countries around the world have formally recognised the state of Palestine. In October 2014, our colleagues in the House of Commons voted by a huge majority to support a motion encouraging the UK Government to follow suit.

In the past, the Scottish Government has spoken to UK ministers to urge them formally to recognise the Palestinian state. As members may be aware, my party, the SNP, has set out its position that SNP members of Parliament will press for the new UK Government to recognise the state of Palestine. The current UK Government’s position is that a negotiated two-state solution should be pursued. There is clearly sentiment in this chamber and beyond that that position needs to go further. It is time, now, to recognise the state of Palestine.