Edinburgh: The Scottish National Party's (SNP) leader in the House of Commons has announced that an independent Scotland under the SNP would sever diplomatic relations with Israel and close its embassies. This declaration marks a significant shift in foreign policy priorities for an independent Scotland.
According to Anadolu Agency, Stephen Flynn, speaking on The News Agents podcast, expressed his disapproval of Israel's actions, stating that he finds it "difficult to comprehend how you can deal with people who are so insistent upon killing a civilian population in the way that they are." Flynn voiced his deep distress and anger regarding the ongoing situation in Gaza, further criticizing the UK for maintaining a position he believes has been insufficiently robust.
Flynn recounted his experiences in the House of Commons, where he has frequently heard assurances from Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Hamish Falconer, the minister for the Middle East. He criticized these promises as unfulfilled, stating, "I've gone into the House of Commons on God knows how many occasions now and listened to David Lammy and Hamish Falconer, the Middle East minister, and they've told us how 'we're going to do this, or we're going to do that, and this is the latest thing we're going to do.'"
He further challenged the UK government, adding, "And then he stands up and says, 'but they're ignoring us.' Well, if they're ignoring you, then do something that captures their attention," highlighting a call for more decisive action.
Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip, ongoing since October 2023, has faced international condemnation. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of nearly 55,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children. This has prompted warnings from aid agencies about the imminent threat of famine for the region's more than 2 million residents.
In a related development, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.