New Foreign Secretary must end arms sales to Israel
The new Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, must urgently end UK arms sales to Israel and complicity in the genocide being inflicted on Gaza, say the Scottish Greens.
UK arms export criteria says a weapon can not be sold if there is a "clear risk" that it "might" be used in a serious breach of International Humanitarian Law.
UK government statistics, compiled by Campaign Against Arms Trade, show that in the last 10 years, the UK has licensed at least £500 million worth of arms to Israel.
In opposition, David Lammy said he had “serious concerns” about the conduct of Israeli forces and called for the UK government to publish legal advice relating to arms sales to Israel, something the Scottish Greens have called for him to do immediately.
The party's Co-leader, Patrick Harvie MSP, said: “For the last nine months the Tories have armed and supported Israeli forces while they have inflicted grave war crimes and atrocities on the people of Gaza. It has been a moral disgrace.
“Now we have a new government, and a new Foreign Secretary. They say they are committed to working for a ceasefire, but those words are meaningless if they continue to arm Israel.
“There are no two ways about it. Every day that they allow weapons to flow and provide military support and political cover is another day of complicity in genocide.
“In opposition, David Lammy called for the UK to publish the advice it received on the legality of arms exports. Now he is in government, he must live up to the standard he rightly demanded of others and immediately publish it.
“With the people of Gaza suffering one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, it is vital that we see an end to UK arms sales and a recognition of Palestine’s right to self-determination.”