FMQs: Greens Co-leader calls for First Minister to back Israel boycott with action
Scottish Green Co-leader Gillian Mackay has urged the First Minister to turn words into action and boycott Israel.
Campaign group Uplift has outlined the links between Israel and a company set to profit from the climate-wrecking Rosebank development. So far John Swinney has refused to take a clear position on the project.
In September 2025, Scottish Greens MSP Patrick Harvie lodged a motion calling for Scotland to boycott Israel, which was passed by the Scottish Parliament, with the support of the First Minister.
However, in an FOI revealed by The National, it emerged that no immediate action was taken by the Government following the vote.
In her first question, Gillian said:
“Drilling for oil and gas in the Rosebank Oil field is set to tip Scotland over the edge of climate disaster.
“And this week we also learned it will directly fund a company complicit in the illegal occupation of Palestine.
“Campaign group Uplift has obtained legal advice which says granting permissions for Rosebank could be a breach of the Geneva Conventions.
“The Scottish Government used to have a clear position on this. Under Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf it was opposed to Rosebank. Under the current First Minister nobody is sure.
“So can the First Minister confirm, does he still stand by this Parliament’s commitment to boycott Israel? And if so, does he agree that the Rosebank oil field should not go ahead?”
In his answer the First Minister failed to take a clear position.
In her second question, Gillian said:
“Previous First Ministers have provided a clear yes or no as to whether they are against Rosebank, and it would be good for this First Minister to provide one.
“Warm words are not good enough when climate destruction is funding illegal occupation. We must put a stop to this.
“So the First Minister must understand why so many of us are so frustrated by the news this week.
“The National has reported that, following this Parliament’s historic vote last year to boycott, divest from and sanction Israeli companies, the Scottish Government has not commissioned a single briefing from officials on how to implement this action.
“And my colleague Patrick Harvie’s questions on the subject from October still remain unanswered, 17 weeks later.
“First Minister, is your government truly committed to boycott Israel and support the people of Palestine? And if so, when will we see action?”