ANAS Sarwar is facing backlash from climate and human rights groups over his endorsement of the controversial Rosebank oil field.

It comes after it was revealed that the project could send over £200 million to the Delek Group – an Israeli fuel conglomerate flagged by the UN for human rights concerns in Palestine.

Delek also provides fuel to the Israeli military via its subsidiary, Delek Israel. Now, a coalition of climate and human rights groups – including the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Stop Rosebank – have written to the Scottish Labour leader hitting out at his announcement of support for the development.

The move follows new research conducted by The Ferret, which reveals that Rosebank’s majority owner – Ithaca Energy – has already paid over $1bn in dividends to Delek Group since 2020.

The letter, sent just before the Scottish elections, urged Sarwar to reconsider his position and reject Rosebank.

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It also argued that the development would do little to help ordinary people, as the UK enters another period of high energy costs. This is due to the majority of Rosebank’s reserves being oil for export.

Dave Black, energy apartheid campaign lead for the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said Sarwar’s endorsement was “profoundly disappointing”.

“Not one penny from North Sea oil should flow towards a company that is fuelling the genocidal Israeli military and contributing to human rights abuses in the West Bank. Given Sarwar’s comments on Palestinian human rights, his position on Rosebank stinks of hypocrisy,” he said.

“The expansion of illegal settlements is contributing to making life even more unbearable for Palestinians. We should be doing everything we can to defend their rights, not undermine them. Standing in solidarity with Palestine means opposing Rosebank.”

Lauren MacDonald, lead campaigner at Stop Rosebank, added: “Anas Sarwar needs to think far more about the consequences of approving Rosebank – and not just heed the self-interested views of oil and gas firms.

Rosebank (Image: Extinction Rebellion Dundee)

“Quite aside from it being wholly incompatible with safe climate limits, Rosebank could also see £200m flow to Delek, a company that is contributing to the ongoing violence and dispossession faced by Palestinians.”

She added: “Add to these obvious harms the fact that it won’t take a penny off our energy bills, and would only make a minimal difference to our energy security, and it is clear that this project should be dead in the water. “

Any decision on Rosebank must be made in full knowledge of these financial flows and harms. If Sarwar has any integrity, he will stop listening to the whisperings of oil executives and instead join the cross-party chorus of MPs urging the government to stop this project.”

Scottish Labour have been approached for comment.