FMQs: Scotland must prosecute Israeli soldiers who return here
Scottish Green Co-leader Ross Greer has called for the Scottish Government to ensure that anyone in Scotland who has served in Israel’s occupation forces will be investigated and if necessary prosecuted for their part in the crimes of genocide and occupation.
Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, Mr Greer urged the Scottish Government to enforce the International Criminal Court (Scotland) Act passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2001. This would ensure that Israeli soldiers who are UK citizens or residents and who are present in Scotland are held accountable for their role in the two year long assault.
Earlier this year the Metropolitan Police confirmed that it was assessing reports submitted by Michael Mansfield KC regarding ten British nationals accused of committing war crimes in Gaza whilst serving in Israel’s occupation forces.
In his first question to the First Minister, Ross said:
“The President of Israel - whose own statements have been cited by the International Court of Justice as plausible evidence of Israel’s genocidal intent - was welcomed to the UK with open arms by Keir Starmer this week.
“The same President who signed his name on bombs that were dropped on homes, hospitals and schools. The same President who said there were no “innocent civilians in Gaza.
“Keir Starmer is treating peaceful protesters like terrorists while rolling out the red carpet for the head of a genocidal apartheid regime.
"And it's not just Israel’s visiting head of state.
“British citizens and residents have travelled to serve in Israel’s occupation forces, making them complicit in war crimes.
“This Parliament passed the International Criminal Court Act in 2001, making genocide and war crimes offences in Scots law, regardless of where they are committed.
“Can the First Minister confirm that this law will be applied in full and that anyone in Scotland who has served in Israel’s occupation forces will be investigated - and if necessary, prosecuted for their part in the crimes of genocide and occupation?”
In his response the First Minister reiterated his opposition to Israel’s genocide, pointing to Green demands accepted by Scottish Government last week, namely the halting of any further public grants to companies arming Israel and passing a Green proposal in Parliament for Scotland to boycott, divest from and sanction apartheid Israel.
In his second question Ross urged the First Minister to turn words into action and call on Scottish businesses to cease all trading with Israel, just as the Scottish Government did with Russia in 2022.
Ross said:
“More than a third of the 60,000 Palestinians confirmed to have been killed by Israel were children. Shot, bombed and starved to death with no way out.
“No company profiting from this apartheid and genocide should be allowed to profit here in Scotland.
“Last week Palestinians celebrated when this Parliament took the historic decision to back a Green proposal that Scotland boycott, sanction and divest from Israel.
“I want to thank the First Minister for his Government’s support.
“Now we must act to deliver on it. The very least the Scottish Government can do is take the same actions against Israel that it already has against Russia.
“In 2022 Scottish Ministers rightly made an immediate call for every business here to ‘sever links’ and cease trading with Russia.
“Palestinian lives are worth no less than Ukrainians or Scots. And this Parliament has voted for an economic boycott.
“So, will the First Minister now call on Scottish businesses to join the global movement against apartheid Israel?”
In response, the First Minister did not address this specific proposal, instead urging the UK Government to take further action to put pressure on Israel.