THE news public money in Scotland will no longer go to arms companies supplying Israel has been picked up across the globe.
The Scottish Government has been criticised in recent months for continuing to fund companies in the country who provide weapons parts to Israel.
But First Minister John Swinney said “business as usual” was no longer an option amid what he described as a genocide being carried out in Gaza, as he announced new public money would not go to firms arming Israel.
The story was picked up by several news outlets in the Middle East and Europe, but notably the fact MSPs backed a package of boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel was absent from reports.
Israel
The news was picked up by The Times of Israel, with a basic four-paragraph story appearing on the website on Wednesday evening.
The report also covered how the Palestinian flag had been raised outside St Andrew’s House, and that Swinney called for the immediate recognition of a Palestinian state by the UK Government.
The story said Swinney said he would “freeze support for trade with Israel”. He called on the UK Government to withdraw from the UK-Israel Free Trade Agreement.
Palestine
The Quds News Network – a Palestinian youth news agency founded in 2011 – reported the news on Twitter/X, on which it has almost 600k followers.
The network tweeted that the First Minister had declared “signs of genocide” in Gaza as he announced measures to “distance” Scotland from Israel.
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney declared “signs of genocide” in Gaza and announced measures to distance Scotland from Israel. Key actions include freezing public funding for arms firms linked to Israel, urging the UK to withdraw from the UK–Israel trade deal, and… pic.twitter.com/yJ5ZD9iaat
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) September 3, 2025
“Key actions include freezing public funding for arms firms linked to Israel, urging the UK to withdraw from the UK–Israel trade deal, and pledging £1 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza,” the tweet said, adding the Palestinian flag had been raised outside Government buildings.
Turkey
Turkish news site Yeni Safak featured the story on Wednesday evening, leading on the pause to public funds for arms firms and Swinney’s calls for the UK Government to withdraw from the UK-Israel Free Trade Agreement.
The update was also reported by the Anadolu Agency, based in Ankara.
Both pieces added details of £400,000 of funding going to Kids Operating Room for the establishment of a Gaza HOPES Field Readiness Hub in Scotland and £600,000 going to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)-led Humanitarian Fund for the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Finland
The Helsinki Times – Finland’s first English language daily online newspaper – shared news of the suspension of funding, adding that the Scottish Government will provide £1 million in new humanitarian aid.
