Opinion

The SNP are needed in Westminster to hold Labour and the Tories to account on Gaza

Brendan O'Hara 

21 June, 2024 
LEFT FOOT FORWARD

'By not calling out Israel’s actions, the UK stands accused of being complicit in war crimes and violations of international law.'

Over the past few years, I’d like to think that the SNP has built a reputation in Westminster for our fierce advocacy for the international rules-based system and the protection of human rights. Arguably, that support for the rules-based system and an adherence to International Humanitarian Law has never been more needed than in the months since October 7.

On what feels like a daily basis, the SNP at Westminster has been that consistent voice challenging and calling out both the Tory government and the Labour Party on their reluctance to condemn Israel’s obvious and egregious breaches of International Humanitarian Law, and in the face of such destruction and loss of life questioning why they refused to call for an immediate ceasefire in a conflict which has to date, claimed the lives of 37,000 innocent Palestinians.

The willingness of both the Tory and Labour leadership to provide political cover for PM Netanyahu, while he turned off the water supply, used starvation as a weapon of war, and forced the displacement of millions of civilians, simply beggars’ belief.

By any measure, such actions taken against a civilian population is a war crime and anyone who choses to stay silent rather than unequivocally condemn, not only actively and knowingly undermines the international rules-based order, but leaves themselves open to accusations of being complicit in these crimes.

Our position as the 3rd party at Westminster gives us the space to question the Prime Minister, to quiz the Foreign Secretary at the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, and to challenge Ministers at the Despatch Box every time they make an announcement on Palestine.

At this moment of intense geopolitical fragility, and with the future of the international world order threatened by the negligence of the UK towards its international obligations, I’d argue that it is more important than ever for that dissenting SNP to be a voice to be heard, and for us to be the voice for the millions of people across these islands who support the rule of law and oppose what the UK establishment are doing in our name.

I’m proud to say that from the outset of this terrible conflict, our position has been consistent. In the immediate aftermath of October 7 2023, we unreservedly condemned the Hamas attack and called for the immediate release of all the hostages. We were also the first political party at Westminster to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and the first to use the language of collective punishment and ethnic cleaning.

We were also the first party to say to the Conservative Government that there could not be a military solution to this conflict. We were the first to demand the restoration of UNRWA funding, and to support the International Criminal Court in seeking arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.

In the months since October 7, it became increasingly clear that had the SNP not been there, a comfortable, cosy consensus would have emerged between the Tories and Labour and there would have been no meaningful political voice demanding a ceasefire and speaking up for International Humanitarian Law.

While the actions of Hamas on 7 of October were both appalling and a clear breach of international law, it would be wrong to believe this conflict started on that awful day. So, understanding the historical context of October 7 is crucial for how we plan the next steps in securing a future peace.

The starting point must be the ending of the prolonged, illegal occupation of Gaza and the West Bank by Israel; an occupation which has systematically diminished Palestinian political autonomy and removed many of their basic human rights.

The creation, and international recognition of an independent Palestinian state is also a pre-requisite to securing long-term stability in the region, and it is essential that any incoming UK Government accepts the Palestinian people’s inalienable right of self-determination, and that that it is not for the United Nations Security Council, or indeed any other nation, to tell the Palestinians how they can or can’t be governed.

Anything short of this and we risk repeating the disastrous mistakes of the past, when Western states attempted to dictate borders and impose governing systems in post conflict zones from afar. That cannot happen again.

In the immediate future, and in the expectation of a change of UK government, we need to see the UK introduce genuine enforcement of consequences for the illegal Israeli occupation. This must include meaningful sanctions should Israel continue to allow the growth of settlements in the West Bank – something which the UK accepts is illegal – and does not immediately start to bring down the number of settlers from the current 700,000.

Any incoming UK government must commit to completely overhauling the system of Arms Export Licensing. The current system is deeply flawed and open to abuse, and the UK government should give parliament the ability to scrutinise arms licences to ensure there is rigorous compliance with human rights and international humanitarian law.

This is an issue we intend to return to in the next parliament as a matter of urgency, regardless of which party is in government. The SNP is committed to being a thorn-in-the-side of any UK government which tries to turn a blind eye when their friends or allies are breaching International Human Law,

We will remain a voice for the oppressed and the persecuted, and we will call it out without fear or favour, because if we don’t, experience tells us that in Westminster, few others will.

Of course, by not calling out Israel’s actions, the UK stands accused of being complicit in war crimes and violations of international law. This will inevitably encourage other malign actors to follow suit, in the belief that they too will be able to act with impunity.

If we accept what is happening in Gaza as the new acceptable standard of a state’s right to “self-defence”, then the UK Government risks undoing the last 75 years of progress of the international rules-based order, something the SNP is committed to ensuring will not be allowed to happen.


Brendan O’Hara is the SNP Candidate for Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber. He was appointed as the SNP’s foreign affairs spokesperson in the House of Commons in September 2023.

Image credit: Socialist Appeal – Creative Commons