YES party leaders have been urged to come together and stand against the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
The non-party affiliated Scottish Independence Convention (SIC) called on Yessers to condemn the Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian people and “take every action possible to inhibit those atrocities from continuing”.
It comes as at least 31 people were killed and more than 170 wounded while on their way to receive food in the Gaza Strip, according to health officials and multiple witnesses.
The SIC wrote to Yes party leaders on May 25 to ask them to sign the pledge. Only the Alba party confirmed to The National that they would be signing and supporting the contents of the letter.
The letter calls for pro-independence party leaders to condemn the Gaza genocide in the “strongest possible terms” and “commit to sanctioning Israel where possible and to pushing all Scottish business and suppliers to divest from Israeli products”.
It also calls for Israel to be banned from taking part in international events such as football championships and Eurovision, as well as divesting Scottish Government and local authority pension schemes to any companies who have links to arming Israel.
The letter also asks Yes leadrs to “commit to doing all within their power to uphold international law and to arresting anyone suspected of war crimes that steps on Scottish soil, support and promote the key organisations and the United Nations offering aid to the Palestinian people; demand that the UK Government do the same, sanction Israel, end any complicity and end all arms trading with Israel without exception”.
The SIC calls for the commitments listed to remain in place until a “permanent treaty for peace is established” and Palestine is “formally recognised by Israel and the international community as a free and independent nation state”.
“The offer to sign up in acceptance will first be put to all the leaders of the major pro-independence political parties with elected representatives,” the SIC added.
“If they ignore or refuse to sign we will put it to the next most senior person in the party and so on, so forth.
“Any political party, party leader, MSP or MP who signs up will be commended for their humanity.”
The National understands that First Minister John Swinney was approached to sign the letter.
Swinney previously condemned Israel for blocking aid entering Gaza, and said there was a “need to end the conflict” in discussions with Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Alba leader Kenny MacAskill, said: "I confirm the full support and endorsement by Alba Party for your call. A genocide is being perpetrated and we cannot stand idly by.
"Independence remains our goal but as you detail that neither precludes comment and indeed humanity dictates its requirements."
It comes as witnesses said Israeli forces fired on crowds around 1000 yards from a new aid site run by an Israeli-US-backed foundation.
Israel’s military said in a statement that its forces did not fire at civilians near or within the site, citing an initial inquiry.
Before Sunday, 17 people were killed while trying to reach the sites set up to distribute aid, according to Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the Health Ministry’s records department.
