UK Government training IDF soldiers is active participation in genocide
The Scottish Greens have condemned the UK Government after it was revealed through a parliamentary question that Israeli Defence Forces personnel are currently being trained on UK military bases.
The shocking revelation comes as Israel continues its relentless assault on Gaza. More than 55,000 Palestinians have already been murdered, the majority of whom are women, children and the elderly.
The further destruction of homes, hospitals, schools, and critical infrastructure has led to the situation in Palestine to be described as “worse than hell on earth” by the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Human rights organisations, UN officials and legal scholars around the world have described Israel’s actions as war crimes and acts of genocide.
The UK Government has already faced widespread criticism for continuing to supply arms to Israel despite overwhelming evidence that they are being used in clear violation of international law. The news that UK forces are also providing military training takes that complicity to a far more serious level of active participation.
Scottish Greens Co-Leader Patrick Harvie MSP said:
“The UK is actively training members of the Israeli military while they carry out a brutal assault on Gaza. This is nothing short of disgraceful. This goes beyond complicity - it is direct, active participation in the genocide of the Palestinian people. Every bomb dropped, every home destroyed, every child killed is a crime that the UK Government is now tied to.
"The Scottish Greens have been clear from the start, what we are witnessing in Gaza is a genocide. Tens of thousands of people, most of them women, children and the elderly, have been killed and entire communities have been wiped out. Hospitals, schools, and refugee camps have been targeted. This is not self-defence - it is the destruction of a people through murder and forced displacement."
"It is appalling that instead of taking action to end the violence, this Labour UK Government are training the Israeli war machine that is committing these crimes. Training soldiers who are part of these atrocities is a betrayal of every principle of human rights and international law. It must stop now.
“We repeat our calls for an immediate ceasefire, an end to UK participation in genocide, and full accountability for war crimes. Scotland must stand on the side of peace and justice - not with those who commit and support these horrific acts. All those who are participating in these atrocities must be brought to justice.”