AN MP has secured a meeting with the Foreign Office over Israel's "shocking" treatment of a Scottish activist taking part in a flotilla to Gaza.
LibDem Jamie Stone has expressed concern over an "extremely disappointing" response from the UK Government over the detention of Hughie Stirling, a 60-year-old activist from Ullapool.
Stirling was among hundreds of activists to take part in the Global Sumud Flotilla, a major civilian mission aiming to deliver much-needed aid to Gaza.
The flotilla was intercepted by Israeli forces last month while it was sailing in international waters, with the military detaining all the activists in prison in Israel before eventually deporting them.
Stirling told The National how he experienced violence at the hands of the Israeli authorities, who he said were "glorifying in their ability to hurt us and torture us".
He recalled being subject to horrific treatment, including being thrown to the ground and beaten, forced to strip repeatedly, and forced to kneel on the ground in the blazing heat.
The Foreign Office has been accused of giving a "complete lack of support" to those who were kidnapped and their loved ones, with Stirling's partner, Caroline Williams, telling The National how the activists had been met with little assistance from embassy officials once they had been deported from Israel.
Stone, who represents the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross constituency where Stirling is based, secured a meeting with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) regarding the matter during Business Questions in the Commons on Thursday.
He explained that "despite her frantic appeals" to the Foreign Office, Williams "received very little information and support" from the UK Government about Stirling's whereabouts or wellbeing.
Speaker Lindsay Hoyle then confirmed that arrangements would be made for Stone to meet with a Foreign Office minister to discuss the case in detail, alongside broader issues relating to consular assistance for UK nationals involved in humanitarian missions abroad.
Stirling welcomed the planned meeting, telling The National: "I'm pleased to hear that our MP Jamie Stone is to meet with.a Foreign Office minister.
"I am keen to speak directly with the Government myself on this issue as i believe my personal experience of being failed by them is indeed something they should hear first hand.
"Additionally, I would like to speak to the justice minister regarding what I believe is the complete breakdown of our right to protest against the genocide in Palestine."
A United Nations (UN) inquiry found last year that Israel's actions in Gaza, which the Gaza Health Ministry estimates has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, amount to genocide.
Meanwhile, Williams told The National: "I am grateful to Jamie for raising this matter for us.
"For me, personally, the treatment by the FCDO of myself and other families during the week that we desperately needed them added a whole extra layer of fear and despair which should have been avoidable. It felt cruel."
Williams said that "at one point, I wanted to ask them what they would do if it was something really serious," before she realised "that it probably doesn’t get much more serious than a citizen being kidnapped in international waters and tortured on a purpose built prison ship".
Williams continued: "I am glad that Jamie will get a meeting with the Foreign Office but I would very much like to be invited to attend in person too, as I want them to hear my first-hand experience so that it never happens again to someone when they are crying out for help."
Stone said: “Mr Stirling and the rest of those aboard the flotilla were participating in an aid mission in response to the man-made humanitarian catastrophe that those in Gaza are currently living through.
“It is shocking that a British citizen on such a mission in international waters should be detained, let alone mistreated, by any foreign Government.
“What’s more, Mr Stirling’s family raised extremely serious concerns about his treatment and the lack of communication from this Government was extremely disappointing.
“I welcome the commitment from the Leader of the House to facilitate a meeting with a Foreign Office Minister, and I intend to ensure these issues are fully examined. UK citizens engaged in humanitarian work abroad must be able to rely on effective consular support and transparent communication.”
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “As the Foreign Secretary has said, we were appalled at the treatment of the British nationals aboard the flotilla and summoned the Israeli Charge d'Affaires to make this clear.
"We continue to raise our concerns about the treatment of flotilla participants – and the lack of consular access provided – with the Israeli government.”
