- 'We have to take our own place in the world with the fresh start of independence,' says first minister
LONDON
The Israeli government is "committing genocide" in Gaza and the British government must do everything it can to put a stop to the "historic crime," the first minister of Scotland said on Monday.
UK's recognition of Palestine was "long overdue and is for sure a welcome step," John Swinney said in an op-ed that was published by Scottish newspaper The Daily Record.
"But it is nowhere near enough. Let me be blunt – the government of Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Whether by bullets and bombs or by famine, innocent Palestinian people are dying every single day," he added.
Saying that the UK has an obligation to do everything it can to put a stop to it, he stressed that "weak words of condemnation are not enough any more."
"We are seeing a historic crime being committed in Gaza – and the UK needs to play its full part in putting a stop to it," said the first minister.
Swinney is among the figures attending a flag-raising ceremony at the Palestinian embassy in the UK later on Monday, a day after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's announcement on recognition of Palestine.
'If Scotland wants our voice to be heard, we have to do it ourselves'
The first minister also touched on his recent conversations with US President Donald Trump and Starmer on the wellbeing of Scottish economy during trade talks between the US and the UK "to make sure Scotland’s voice was heard."
Swinney said he would like to be "in the room" to fix the issue for Scotland, but the current arrangements don’t allow that."
"It leaves me feeling that whether it is Labour, Tory or Nigel Farage who is in Downing Street, the reality is that Scotland will always be an afterthought," he said.
The first minister went on to say that the lesson that he has taken from the last few weeks is that "nobody is able to advocate for Scotland better than we can advocate for ourselves."
"We cannot afford to have our national interests in the hands of a government in London who won’t put us first ... "We have to take our own place in the world with the fresh start of independence – and I will make sure that is the choice that is put to the Scottish people."
In 2014, Scots rejected ending the more than 300-year-old union with England by 55% to 45%.
Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon intended to hold an advisory independence vote in 2023, but the UK’s top court ruled the Scottish government cannot hold a second referendum without approval from the British parliament.