NICOLA Sturgeon has said that Israel’s actions in Gaza are “nothing short of a genocide” in a major intervention following pressure from her own constituents.
The former first minister also said she was “proud” that the SNP-led Scottish Government was considering a full state boycott of Israel, as The National revealed on Thursday.
Sturgeon’s statement came after a number of her Glasgow Southside constituents wrote to question her “surprising silence” on the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
A template letter drafted by Scotland for Palestine – a pro-Palestine and pro-Scottish independence group – said: “As a constituent who stands against apartheid, occupation, and genocide, I am writing to ask you to tell me what concrete steps you will take to help end the illegal occupation of Palestine and the Palestinian genocide?”
The group aimed to push Sturgeon into speaking publicly on the issue ahead of her appearance at the Govanhill Book Festival on Friday, August 8.
A spokesperson for Scotland for Palestine said: “Nicola Sturgeon has a reputation as someone who will speak out in a forthright manner and with integrity. As a former first minister for Scotland and a heavy-weight politician she has an unrivalled platform and reach.
“However, after almost two years in what is one of the darkest eras in history including a complete breakdown of international and humanitarian law, she seems to have been very quiet.
“What does she have to say about the current situation in Palestine and the part the SNP is playing in the widely documented political and financial backing of Israel?”
Responding, Sturgeon was unequivocal.
“What we are witnessing in Gaza is nothing short of a genocide,” she said. “The killing of civilians, the targeting of children, the destruction of entire communities. It is a moral outrage, and the world must not look away.
“As someone who has always stood up for human rights and international law, I want to be clear: the root cause of the devastating cycle of violence in Gaza is the decades-long illegal occupation of Palestine – and that must end.
“I am proud that we have a Scottish Government that is standing up firmly for the people of Palestine – calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, calling for the recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state, demanding a ban on UK Government arms exports to Israel, considering imposing a state boycott on Israel, and demanding increased humanitarian aid to Gaza and Palestinian refugees.
“The people of Scotland have shown profound solidarity with the Palestinian people, and we must all ensure that Scotland remains a voice for justice on the global stage.”
The former SNP leader’s comments come after John Swinney, the current First Minister, also described Israel’s actions in Gaza as a genocide.
It would be great if one of our current government had the balls to say this.
It’s clear. Israel is destroying Palestine and murdering Palestinian civilians.
Question is, is anyone actually going to do anything? This is just more “thoughts and prayers”.
We will condemn Isreal and say how shocked and horrified we are, how it is genocide and ethnic cleansing, all while simply standing by and watching it doing nothing.
Don’t really care what she says anymore, horrible person
All very pointless unless calling for Hamas to release hostages too.
So annoying that all these groups completely ignore that point. There are innocent people imprisoned in Hamas tunnels.
Hamas could have not started and stopped the war along time ago but not taking hostages and/or releasing them.
Call them out. And call out israel for its massively over the top response.
But do both or its disingenuous.
voters posturing
No shit?
The fraudster has lost all credibility.
Good. Credit where credit’s due. Hopefully the same constituents who eked this out of her will also now get her to admit the SNP were wrong to adopt the so-called IHRA definition of antisemitism (which confounds it with criticism of Israel) under her reign.
Meanwhile Sir Kid Starver is cosying up to his pal Benny and supporting the genocide with his Blue Tory pals following suit. It is all very sad. As an article published this week stated (paraphrased); the genocide may be destroying Hamas militarily, but it ensuring Hamas as a political movement will remain strong for decades to come.
What is crazy is to have the mindset that the best way to stop a terrorist organization (Hamas) is to kill innocent bairns. It is backwards.
Good thing she’s nothing short of irrelevant now.
[deleted]
“Major intervention”, eh? I’m sure proceedings will be stopped at the United Nations while they all consider how to respond.
The most posted news source on here is a nationalist comic book.
[removed]
oh well that’s it settled then
I was desperate to hear a failed politician’s view on Gaza.
16 comments
NICOLA Sturgeon has said that Israel’s actions in Gaza are “nothing short of a genocide” in a major intervention following pressure from her own constituents.
The former first minister also said she was “proud” that the SNP-led Scottish Government was considering a full state boycott of Israel, as The National revealed on Thursday.
Sturgeon’s statement came after a number of her Glasgow Southside constituents wrote to question her “surprising silence” on the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
A template letter drafted by Scotland for Palestine – a pro-Palestine and pro-Scottish independence group – said: “As a constituent who stands against apartheid, occupation, and genocide, I am writing to ask you to tell me what concrete steps you will take to help end the illegal occupation of Palestine and the Palestinian genocide?”
The group aimed to push Sturgeon into speaking publicly on the issue ahead of her appearance at the Govanhill Book Festival on Friday, August 8.
A spokesperson for Scotland for Palestine said: “Nicola Sturgeon has a reputation as someone who will speak out in a forthright manner and with integrity. As a former first minister for Scotland and a heavy-weight politician she has an unrivalled platform and reach.
“However, after almost two years in what is one of the darkest eras in history including a complete breakdown of international and humanitarian law, she seems to have been very quiet.
“What does she have to say about the current situation in Palestine and the part the SNP is playing in the widely documented political and financial backing of Israel?”
Responding, Sturgeon was unequivocal.
“What we are witnessing in Gaza is nothing short of a genocide,” she said. “The killing of civilians, the targeting of children, the destruction of entire communities. It is a moral outrage, and the world must not look away.
“As someone who has always stood up for human rights and international law, I want to be clear: the root cause of the devastating cycle of violence in Gaza is the decades-long illegal occupation of Palestine – and that must end.
“I am proud that we have a Scottish Government that is standing up firmly for the people of Palestine – calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, calling for the recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state, demanding a ban on UK Government arms exports to Israel, considering imposing a state boycott on Israel, and demanding increased humanitarian aid to Gaza and Palestinian refugees.
“The people of Scotland have shown profound solidarity with the Palestinian people, and we must all ensure that Scotland remains a voice for justice on the global stage.”
The former SNP leader’s comments come after John Swinney, the current First Minister, also described Israel’s actions in Gaza as a genocide.
It would be great if one of our current government had the balls to say this.
It’s clear. Israel is destroying Palestine and murdering Palestinian civilians.
Question is, is anyone actually going to do anything? This is just more “thoughts and prayers”.
We will condemn Isreal and say how shocked and horrified we are, how it is genocide and ethnic cleansing, all while simply standing by and watching it doing nothing.
Don’t really care what she says anymore, horrible person
All very pointless unless calling for Hamas to release hostages too.
So annoying that all these groups completely ignore that point. There are innocent people imprisoned in Hamas tunnels.
Hamas could have not started and stopped the war along time ago but not taking hostages and/or releasing them.
Call them out. And call out israel for its massively over the top response.
But do both or its disingenuous.
voters posturing
No shit?
The fraudster has lost all credibility.
Good. Credit where credit’s due. Hopefully the same constituents who eked this out of her will also now get her to admit the SNP were wrong to adopt the so-called IHRA definition of antisemitism (which confounds it with criticism of Israel) under her reign.
Meanwhile Sir Kid Starver is cosying up to his pal Benny and supporting the genocide with his Blue Tory pals following suit. It is all very sad. As an article published this week stated (paraphrased); the genocide may be destroying Hamas militarily, but it ensuring Hamas as a political movement will remain strong for decades to come.
What is crazy is to have the mindset that the best way to stop a terrorist organization (Hamas) is to kill innocent bairns. It is backwards.
Good thing she’s nothing short of irrelevant now.
[deleted]
“Major intervention”, eh? I’m sure proceedings will be stopped at the United Nations while they all consider how to respond.
The most posted news source on here is a nationalist comic book.
[removed]
oh well that’s it settled then
I was desperate to hear a failed politician’s view on Gaza.
Comments are closed.