Scotland Stops Public Funds For Israeli Arms Supply Companies

Scottish First Minister John Swinney/PHOTO via Instagram @john_swinney_snp

JAKARTA - Scotland's First Minister John Swinney said his government would stop providing public funds to companies supplying weapons to Israel, and urged Britain to withdraw from the UK-Israeli Free Trade Agreement whose discussions have been suspended by London since last May.

Speaking before Scottish lawmakers (MSPs) in Holyood, Swinney confirmed the decision to no longer provide public funding support to companies selling weapons to Israel.

"We will stop giving new awards in the form of public funds to gun companies whose products or services are given to countries where there is reasonable evidence that the country is committing genocide," he said. It will cover Israel

The termination policy applies to new grants and investments made by the Scottish government, business entities, and the Scottish National Investment Bank.

"Every defense company seeking support from the Scottish government must prove that its products are not militaryly involved with Israel," Swinney said.

He also called on the British government to review the steps that need to be taken in accordance with international legal obligations in responding to the serious risks of genocide, as well as withdrawing from the Britain-Israeli Free Trade Agreement.

In addition, Swinney announced a grant of 400,000 US dollars or around Rp. 8.8 billion) to the Kids Operating Room, a charity in Scotland, to establish the Gaza HOPES Field Readiness Hub in Scotland.

This fund, he said, would help open additional funding of US$15 million (Rp246.3 billion) to present an emergency hospital in Gaza.

He added that the 600,000 pounds (Rp13.3 billion) will also be given to Humanitarian Funds for the Occupied Palestinian Territories (Humanitarian Funds for Occupied Palestinian Territories) managed by the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs Coordination (OCHA).

The statement was made ahead of a parliamentary debate over amendments proposed by the Scottish Greens regarding calls for a boycott of Israel and companies deemed to be involved in genocide in Gaza and illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Swinney stressed that without these measures, the Scottish government risks not operating according to the law.

Meanwhile, Scottish Labor Party leader Anas Sarwar called the situation in Gaza a "very unbearable" condition.

"We need to stop the bloodshed right now," he said, calling Israel's authority leader Benjamin Netanyahu a criminal of war.

Sarwar emphasized that Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, must be held accountable and tried for his actions.