Chamber
Plenary, 08 Jan 2009
08 Jan 2009 · S3 · Plenary
Item of business
Gaza (Humanitarian Disaster)
I am pleased that members have been given the opportunity to come together in this debate and I am sure that we can unanimously agree the terms of the motion. I welcome the Deputy First Minister's assurances on the many responses that the Scottish Government has already made.
As has been said, in December, Pauline McNeill secured a members' business debate on dignity for Palestinians. In that debate, we heard about the journey that she, Sandra White and Hugh O'Donnell had recently taken to Gaza and how things were at that time. Their descriptions were distressing and moving then, but now, as they feared, the situation has become much worse: we have not just a blockade of Gaza but what is being described as just short of all-out war. I have been careful with the tone of my speech to try to avoid becoming inarticulate with outrage, and I commend those who have managed to describe what has been happening in Gaza.
There are demonstrations throughout the world at which people are calling for a cease-fire. Here in Scotland, people are gathering outside the Parliament and elsewhere in Edinburgh, and in Glasgow, Dundee, Inverness and Galashiels, to name just a few, to call for a halt to the conflict. I watched the BBC news last night and heard about the three-hour respite from the conflict that has been granted to the Palestinians—three hours in which people can go outside, queue for food if they can find it, catch up with news and, sadly, bury their dead. I find the concept of a temporary humanitarian aid corridor reminiscent of the situations and language in the novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four". It is a bizarre situation that I find horribly difficult to understand, given that everyone knows that the cease-fire will end and that the attacks will start again, which they duly did.
The BBC is beginning to analyse the very different strengths of firepower on the two sides and the consequently very different numbers of casualties. The public can make up their own minds about the rights and wrongs of the situation when they look at the facts. It is up to us to try to articulate those facts. However, yesterday's front-page news moves down the agenda today. Our debate is important because it can keep the conflict in the news here in Scotland and add to the international debate.
I am against all war and I deplore the loss of lives on all sides in conflicts. People in Gaza need food, cash and medical supplies. They need what everyone needs: the basics for a proper life. We must do everything in our power to ensure that there is a proper response. Supporting the motion is a small but necessary step.
As has been said, in December, Pauline McNeill secured a members' business debate on dignity for Palestinians. In that debate, we heard about the journey that she, Sandra White and Hugh O'Donnell had recently taken to Gaza and how things were at that time. Their descriptions were distressing and moving then, but now, as they feared, the situation has become much worse: we have not just a blockade of Gaza but what is being described as just short of all-out war. I have been careful with the tone of my speech to try to avoid becoming inarticulate with outrage, and I commend those who have managed to describe what has been happening in Gaza.
There are demonstrations throughout the world at which people are calling for a cease-fire. Here in Scotland, people are gathering outside the Parliament and elsewhere in Edinburgh, and in Glasgow, Dundee, Inverness and Galashiels, to name just a few, to call for a halt to the conflict. I watched the BBC news last night and heard about the three-hour respite from the conflict that has been granted to the Palestinians—three hours in which people can go outside, queue for food if they can find it, catch up with news and, sadly, bury their dead. I find the concept of a temporary humanitarian aid corridor reminiscent of the situations and language in the novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four". It is a bizarre situation that I find horribly difficult to understand, given that everyone knows that the cease-fire will end and that the attacks will start again, which they duly did.
The BBC is beginning to analyse the very different strengths of firepower on the two sides and the consequently very different numbers of casualties. The public can make up their own minds about the rights and wrongs of the situation when they look at the facts. It is up to us to try to articulate those facts. However, yesterday's front-page news moves down the agenda today. Our debate is important because it can keep the conflict in the news here in Scotland and add to the international debate.
I am against all war and I deplore the loss of lives on all sides in conflicts. People in Gaza need food, cash and medical supplies. They need what everyone needs: the basics for a proper life. We must do everything in our power to ensure that there is a proper response. Supporting the motion is a small but necessary step.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S3M-3179, in the name of Nicola Sturgeon, on the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing (Nicola Sturgeon):
SNP
First, let me take the opportunity to thank all parties for their support and co-operation in securing today's very important debate.The scenes of devastatio...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab):
Lab
This morning, it is right that we should spend some time discussing how Scotland can respond to the humanitarian disaster that is happening in the Gaza strip...
Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
Few of us who spoke in Pauline McNeill's members' business debate on the last day before the Christmas recess could have expected the escalation in violence ...
Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab):
Lab
Will the member give way on that point?
Ted Brocklebank:
Con
No, I will not. I have only four minutes.Bringing about a cease-fire now is no easy matter, as there must be a cease-fire on both sides. It is pointless to d...
Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
The Palestinian people are paying a dear price for Europe's guilt about what happened to European Jews. I find Mr Brocklebank's comments completely inappropr...
Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con):
Con
Will the member give way?
Hugh O'Donnell:
LD
I am sorry, but I have only four minutes.The overwhelming use of force by Israel and the unacceptable loss of civilian lives are radicalising moderate Palest...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
We now move to the open debate. There will be four-minute speeches, and I remind members that no one-minute warnings will be given and that they should there...
Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I thank the Scottish Government and all political parties for acting swiftly to enable us to have this debate. It is important that the Scottish Parliament s...
Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab):
Lab
Like many others, over the past fortnight I have found myself shouting at the television as I have watched the carnage in Gaza. There may be terrorists in Ga...
Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I will not join the many armchair experts on the complex situation in the middle east and, in particular, the Palestine-Israeli conflict. Instead, I turn to ...
Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab):
Lab
I am pleased that members have been given the opportunity to come together in this debate and I am sure that we can unanimously agree the terms of the motion...
Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green):
Green
Ted Brocklebank attempted to be fair and even-handed, but this is not the time to be fair and even-handed; this is the time for us to express our horror at w...
Sandra White:
SNP
Is the member aware that Alyn Smith MEP has a motion in the European Parliament on exactly that point? It proposes that we keep up the pressure on Israel and...
Robin Harper:
Green
I thank Sandra White for that useful intervention. We can all lean on the other MEPs to support that motion.The decision in December to support the upgrade i...
Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I thank the Scottish Government for lodging the motion.Since 27 December, we have witnessed an assault on Gaza that is unlike anything before. The numbers in...
Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the opportunity to take part in this important debate. It is right and proper that the Scottish Parliament should express its view on the crisis in...
Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD):
LD
Like millions of other people, I am absolutely shocked by the huge scale of the Israeli attacks that have been taking place since 27 December and which we ha...
Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con):
Con
Naturally, the debate has at times been emotionally charged—so it must be when images of raw conflict are broadcast into our homes as it happens. The debate ...
Pauline McNeill:
Lab
The business manager of the Conservative party was quite helpful in allowing us to secure a debate this morning. However, I am sad to say that the speakers f...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Alasdair Morgan):
SNP
Order.
Ted Brocklebank:
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Pauline McNeill:
Lab
I will not.I want to address the points that were made by Ted Brocklebank and Jackson Carlaw, who should perhaps clarify their position.Ted Brocklebank sugge...
The Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture (Linda Fabiani):
SNP
It is absolutely right that the Parliament discusses these issues. Throughout the debate, we have heard the depth of feeling that the developing humanitarian...