Scottish Government request Israel arms embargo

THE Scottish Government has today called for an immediate arms embargo on Israel over the mounting death toll in Gaza.

MSP Humza Yousaf believes Britain cannot be complicit in breaking of international law. Picture: Ian Rutherford

External Affairs minister Humza Yousaf today described Gaza as an “open air prison” over the blockade imposed on the Strip by Israel and pledged that the SNP administration would press for an independent investigation into the recent death toll.

About 1800 Palestinian people have been killed, many of them women and children as a result of the Israeli offensive in Gaza. It was prompted by rocket attacks on Israel by Hamas.

Mr Yousaf today described the Israeli action as “heavily disproportionate as is evident by the mounting civilian death toll” as he faced questions from MSPs in Parliament.

“The UN has said that there is a strong possibility that violations of international law have occurred and UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon described the shelling of a UN school in Rafah recently as a ‘criminal act’,” he said.

“With mounting evidence of possible violations of international law the UK must ensure that it is not complicit in the killing of innocent civilians through its supply of arms. There must be an immediate embargo on arms sales to Israel and an investigation into whether or not UK arms supplies might have been used in violations of international law.

“The Scottish government continues to offer its support wherever we can, be that through specialist medical care or providing asylum to Palestinian refugees - we stand ready to play our part as a good global citizen.”