SNP calls on Government to ‘stop the excuses’ and recognise Palestinian state
The Scottish National Party has called on the UK Government to follow other European nations in recognising Palestine, also calling for a halt on the sale of arms to Israel.
Listen to this article
The SNP’s Middle East spokesman, Brendan O’Hara, MP for Argyll, Bute and South Lochaberhas, called on the UK Government to “muster a shred of conviction and courage” to act on Gaza.
Mr O’Hara accused the UK Government of failing to “use the power it has” to bring peace to the region, labelling the UK as “totally complicit” in “slaughter”.
Mr O'Hara joins the ranks of 59 MPs who have called on Foreign Secretary David Lammy to immediately recognise Palestine as a state.
The centre to left-wing cohort of MPs sent a letter to Mr Lammy this week, which said by not recognising Palestine as a state, we were "undermining our own policy" of supporting a two-state solution.
The call comes after Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to the UK this week. On Thursday, the French President gave a speech, in which he said recognising Palestine as a state was “the only path to peace”.
In Europe, Mr Macron has been leading the charge to push through a ceasefire between Israel and Palestine.
In April, he announced at the UN that France formally intends to recognise Palestine as a nation - a step he believes will accelerate a two-state solution.
“After witnessing another week of slaughter, the Labour Party could, and should, begin this new week by taking two concrete steps,” Mr O’Hara said.
59 Palestinians were killed in overnight strikes by Israel on Saturday, with more than 100 injured.
At least 31 of the deaths were residents fatally shot while seeking aid on their way to a distribution site.
“They should start this new week by finally stopping all arms sales to Israel, and finally recognising the sale of Palestine,” Mr O’Hara said.
“President Macron was crystal clear that he is preparing to join other European nations in recognising the state of Palestine, and that he is pressing the UK to join this ‘political momentum’ towards a ceasefire and permanent peace.”
The SNP also pointed out that 144 members of the United Nations, including Spain, Ireland and Norway have already moved to recognise Palestine.
“Keir Starmer should stop the excuses, and join him [Macron] in recognising the state of Palestine without any more damaging delays,” Mr O’Hara said.
“That would send the clearest of signals that we are prepared to protect and guarantee the right of Palestinian people to their own homeland.”
“If after this week, Westminster stays sitting on its hands and fails to use the power it has to act, then they will be totally complicit in giving the [Benjamin] Netanyahu government impunity to commit week upon week of slaughter.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said earlier this week that the UK Government was “completely committed” to recognition - but has refused to set a time frame for it, labelling it a “moving, live situation”.
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson has said:
“From day one, we have taken decisive action: suspending relevant export licences, suspending trade negotiations, restarting United Nations Relief and Works Agency funding, sanctioning Israeli Ministers, providing aid to hundreds of thousands of civilians, and using our position on the UN Security Council to demand the end to this war, and the full resumption of aid into Gaza.”
“We continue to work with international partners to end Palestinian suffering, free the hostages and secure lasting Middle East peace.”
While the UK did bolster its financial and aid support to Palestine in May, civil rights groups have hit out at the Government for using terrorism powers to proscribe support for direct-action group Palestine Action.
Protest rights group Liberty has called the move "chilling" for the "thousands" of protestors supporting Palestine.
On Saturday, more than 70 protestors were arrested outside Parliament for publicly pledging support to Palestine Action.