Hansard

I thank Humza Yousaf for securing this important debate. I pay tribute to him for his principled stance on the issue as minister, cabinet secretary, First Minister and, today, as a member of the Scottish Parliament. He has been a voice for victims of this terrible conflict from the very beginning, as well as an advocate of tolerance at home and of speaking out against all forms of discrimination, including Islamophobia and antisemitism. I also pay tribute to all members who have spoken so powerfully in the debate.

The Scottish Government has welcomed Ireland, Norway, Spain and Slovenia’s recognition of the state of Palestine; they have joined with 141 other states in doing so. Today, we were updated that the Republic of Armenia has done likewise. The First Minister wrote to the Prime Minister and the leader of the Opposition on 28 May to call on the United Kingdom to do the same. I reiterate that call for the UK to review its position following the recent, welcome decision by our European neighbours. Recognition would offer hope to Palestinians that a just, durable political solution is possible, and it would allow Israel and Palestine to move towards long-term peace and stability, which is in the interest of all parties.

Although it may sometimes seem like a distant prospect, the Scottish Government continues to support the position of the UK and the European Union that there should be a two-state solution that respects the human rights of everyone in the region to ensure that a secure Israel can live peacefully alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state. Only through such an outc-ome can the cycle of violence that is killing and injuring so many innocent civilians be ended.

The Scottish Government has been consistent in condemning unequivocally the abhorrent terrorist actions of Hamas and in calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, by all sides, in Israel and in Gaza. A ceasefire is the only way that we can halt the catastrophic human suffering in Gaza and for all the hostages to be released.

I repeat the Scottish Government’s demand for Hamas to release immediately and unconditionally all hostages and to cease all missile attacks against Israel. Hamas can have no future in Gaza. The cycle of violence must end, the rockets and bombings must stop, humanitarian and medical facilities must be protected, and civilians must be given unrestricted access to the basic necessities of life, wherever they are.

I take the opportunity to commend the generosity of aid organisations and community groups across Scotland, including in Humza Yousaf’s constituency of Glasgow Pollok, for their generosity in sending aid to ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. That generosity is consistent with the outpouring of support that ordinary Scots have provided for innocent victims of conflict elsewhere, most recently in Ukraine. The Scottish Government has also responded to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza by committing £750,000 of Scotland’s international aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s flash appeal.

Having been repeatedly displaced, an estimated 1.3 million Palestinians are sheltering in tent camps and cramped apartments, desperate for food, desperate for water and desperate for medical supplies. The health system, along with much of the infrastructure in Gaza, has been decimated. Life-saving aid has been systematically blocked from entering the territory, in contravention of international law. The International Court of Justice has been crystal clear that Israel must ensure unimpeded access to Gaza for humanitarian aid.

I urge all parties to step up their efforts to agree a ceasefire urgently, so that the hostages can at last be reunited with their families, the bombing can stop and the unimaginable suffering that this conflict has caused can finally end.

The Scottish Government does not believe that there is a case to send more weapons to Israel. The UN Security Council has called for a ceasefire in Gaza, and ministers have made it clear that, by continuing to arm Israel, the UK is in danger of being complicit in killing innocent civilians. The former First Minister wrote to the Prime Minister calling for a ban on arms exports to Israel—a call that has not yet been heeded. We will continue to press the UK Government on that issue.

Today, in this Parliament, we have overwhelmingly agreed that Palestine must be recognised as an independent state. Doing nothing is not an option. The UK should join the international community and do the right thing—recognise Palestine as an independent state and secure a ceasefire and a two-state solution, so that Palestine and Israel can live in peace, security, prosperity and independence.