Scotland’s First Minister has urged the UK Government to “take further action” after recognising the Palestinian state.
John Swinney attended an event at the Palestinian Mission in London on Monday marking the decision.
While he welcomed the decision, the First Minister also urged the Government to go further, including imposing sanctions on members of the Israeli Government, pulling out of the free trade deal with the country and ending all military cooperation with Israel.
Also calling for the UK to join South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and commit to executing International Criminal Court arrest warrants, the First Minister said: “This is a historic moment for the people of Palestine which should have come long ago.
“I have been clear that the UK’s recognition of the State of Palestine should have been unconditional, but this decision goes some way towards acknowledging the UK’s solemn and historic responsibility towards all peoples of the region.
“While this announcement is welcome news, this is just the first step towards establishing the two-state solution.
“I urge the UK Government to take further action to accelerate peace including continuing to call for an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of free flowing aid.
“The international community must use all its energy to persuade and pressurise Israel to end the violence and return to a peace process.
“A two-state solution is the only option that can provide peace, prosperity and security for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel.
“Hamas must play no role in the future of the Palestinian state.
“I have consistently and unequivocally condemned the brutal terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas in October 2023 and I join the international community in demanding the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
“Scotland stands with the people of Palestine, and everyone in the region who yearns for peace, and I will continue to do all that I can to support those suffering in Gaza and the West Bank.”
A UK Government spokesperson said it would not comment on future potential sanctions, as doing so may reduce their effectiveness.
Quoting Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper from an interview on Sunday with the BBC, the spokesperson said: “At the heart of this there is the really difficult issue of needing to achieve a ceasefire, and you’re right, that means pressure on the Netanyahu government, it means pressure continuing Hamas to release the hostages, it means broader international consensus that we have to build, but I don’t see there’s any alternative to continuing to pursue that two-state solution for a lasting endpoint of where we need to get to.”
The Prime Minister has faced criticism for the decision, which was announced on Sunday, with an open letter from families whose loved ones were taken hostage by Hamas after the October 7 attack urging him not to recognise the state of Palestine “until our loved ones are home and in our arms”.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the move was “absurd” and “simply a reward for terrorism”, while US president Donald Trump said it was “rewarding Hamas”.
