The First Minister is set to attend an event in London on Sunday, where the UK Government is set to officially recognise Palestine.
It comes after a UN inquiry confirmed that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, and just days after US president Donald Trump‘s second state visit to the UK.
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer had said in July he would recognise Palestine ahead of the gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly next week, if the situation in Gaza did not improve.
On Sunday, he is expected to confirm the UK has concluded “the situation has worsened significantly in the last few weeks”, noting particular concern around Israel’s continued military offensive and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, alongside the acceleration of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Ahead of Sunday’s recognition event, Swinney has asked the Labour Government to commit to a number of measures to provide more support for Palestine.
These include withdrawing from the UK-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement, prohibiting the import of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, ending all military cooperation with Israel while the genocide continues, and facilitating the evacuation of injured children from Gaza for treatment in Scotland.
It comes after Swinney wrote to the Palestinians who have arrived in Scotland to receive medical treatment, offering them a “heartfelt welcome” and saying Scotland “stands in solidarity” with Palestine.
The First Minister has also urged the UK Government to set out plans for ensuring that the implementation of the Strategic Defence Review does not support Israel, an end to all defence exports to Israel, for strengthened sanctions against those complicit in illegal settlements, and for sanctions to be imposed on members of the Israeli security cabinet who are complicit “in the horrors facing civilians in Gaza City”.
Swinney further asked UK ministers to join South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice, to commit to implementing the International Criminal Court arrest warrants against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence secretary Yoav Gallant, and to urgently review what steps the UK Government must take in view of the UK’s duty in international law to respond appropriately when a situation involving a serious risk of genocide arises.
The First Minister said: “The recognition of a Palestinian state is a historic moment which should have come long ago. I welcome this long awaited recognition but stress that it must not be conditional and it must be backed by sanctions against Israel.
“In addition to the recognition of the State of Palestine, Israel must agree to a ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid to flow freely to address the starvation being faced in Gaza.
“A two-state solution is the only way that the Palestinians and Israelis can live side by side in peace, prosperity and security. I am proud to be attending an event to mark the recognition of the State of Palestine and will continue to do all that I can to support those suffering in Gaza and the West Bank.”
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Following the recognition of Palestine, it is understood the UK Government will ratchet up sanctions on Hamas, responsible for the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, in due course.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who will represent the UK at next week’s UN General Assembly, said: “It’s important to state that the recognition of a Palestinian state, it is a consequence of the serious expansion that we’re seeing in the West Bank, the settler violence that we’re seeing in the West Bank and the intention and indications that we’re seeing to build, for example, the E1 development that would run a coach and horses through the possibility of a two-state solution.”
He added: “In relation to what is happening in Gaza… we’ve got to see the hostages out. There can be no place, no place at all for Hamas.
“The humanitarian situation is just desperate and we have continued to press Israel to deal with the scenes of malnourishment and starvation that we’re seeing, to open up more sites to get more aid in to Gaza and we are very concerned about this continued offensive into Gaza City.”
The UK Government has been contacted for further comment regarding the First Minister’s statement.
