Scottish Parliament: Statement by the First Minister on Israel and Gaza - Oct 24

The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone)

The next item of business is a statement by Humza Yousaf on Gaza and Israel. The First Minister will take questions at the end of his statement, so there should be no interventions or interruptions.

14:27  

The First Minister (Humza Yousaf)

There are, of course, many things that we disagree on in this chamber, but, at times of grief and sorrow, we have often found a way of putting those differences aside and coming together. Even on the issue of Israel and Palestine, where passions run high, as do differences of opinion, we can and should unite on many issues.

First, let us unite in unequivocally condemning the terror that Hamas unleashed on 7 October in southern Israel. The more we learn about Hamas’s barbaric attack, which took place on the Jewish Sabbath—on a Jewish holy day—the more we are sickened by its brutality. The Scottish Government unequivocally condemns the abhorrent terrorist attacks of Hamas. Let me say, as someone who is proudly Muslim, that I was taught from a young age that Islam tells us that, if you kill one innocent person, it is as if you have killed the whole of humanity. There can be no religious or moral defence of the killing of innocent civilians. Israel, like every other country in the world, has a right to protect itself from terror. That, of course, must be done within the confines of international law, which is an issue that I will return to later. The Scottish Government also joins the international community in calling for the hostages who were taken by Hamas to be released immediately and unconditionally.

Secondly, let members in the chamber unite in our common humanity by accepting that there is no hierarchy of grief—that when a mother loses a child, we all feel that pain, hurt and sorrow, whether that mother is Israeli or Palestinian. I certainly felt that pain when I met Irene Cowan, the mother of Bernard Cowan, who was killed by Hamas. Irene and I held each other, we cried and we shared in each other’s grief. She is an incredible woman, who, despite her own heartache, told me that she was praying for my in-laws and for all the innocent men, women and children who were trapped in Gaza. Let us agree that too many mothers and fathers have lost their children and that too many children have become orphaned. That is why we need an immediate ceasefire, and an immediate ceasefire must be agreed to.

Thirdly, let us all unite in saying clearly that the overwhelming majority of men, women and children in Gaza have nothing to do with Hamas and that they must not be punished for Hamas’s crimes. Almost 60 per cent of Gazans are under the age of 25, and almost half of the population of Gaza are children. Cutting off electricity, food, water and fuel supplies to the people of Gaza is collective punishment and must be condemned in the strongest possible manner. International law must always be respected, especially when it is difficult.

The Scottish Government calls on all sides to agree to an immediate ceasefire to allow a humanitarian corridor to open and for supplies to get into Gaza, as well as allowing safe passage out for those who want to leave. Before the war, United Nations agencies described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “desperate”; they now call the situation “catastrophic”.

Today, premature babies, injured infants, pregnant women and all the people who have lost their homes overnight in Gaza have little in the way of access to clean water. They cannot make bread, and many are in desperate need of sufficient medical treatment for horrendous injuries and have virtually no access to life-saving medicine. The trickle of aid that is arriving in Gaza must be significantly increased without delay, and it must include fuel, because otherwise the hospitals will simply shut down and the sick, the injured and premature babies will die. If that happens, it will be a stain on the collective conscience of all of us, and one that we should not be forgiven for.

On the humanitarian effort that is now required, Scotland stands ready to do our part. The Scottish Government has already pledged £500,000 in humanitarian funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, to help displaced people in Gaza. The Palestinian people are proud people. They are proud of their culture, their history and their land. They should not be forced to leave. However, we know that this conflict alone has meant that 1 million people in Gaza have already been displaced. Therefore, for those who wish to leave, I reiterate my call for the international community to commit to a worldwide refugee programme for the people of Gaza, particularly women and children. I will continue to call on the United Kingdom Government to begin work on the creation of a refugee resettlement scheme, and on plans for the medical evacuation of injured civilians in Gaza.

As I have said before, Scotland is willing to play her part and to be the first country in the UK to offer safe sanctuary to vulnerable people who are caught up in this war. Scotland is ready to treat the injured men, women and children of Gaza in our hospitals where we can. In the past, the people of Scotland and those across the UK have opened our hearts and our homes and welcomed people from Syria, Ukraine and many other countries. We are a generous nation, and let us show that generosity of spirit and heart once again.

I am greatly concerned by the plight of British citizens who have been captured as hostages by Hamas, and I reiterate our call for them to be released. I am also deeply distressed thinking of Scots who are trapped in Gaza. British citizens, including children and the elderly, who have called Scotland home for decades are trapped within the Gaza strip waiting to cross safely into Egypt.

Of course, there is the plight of my own in-laws. I thank members from across the chamber who have sent kind messages of support and solidarity and who have told me that our family is in your prayers—your words have been of great comfort to me and Nadia.

Every night, Nadia and I go to bed, barely sleeping as we count down the hours until the morning, waiting anxiously for a message from my mother-in-law to tell us that they have survived the night. Throughout the day, the 100 people who are in our family home must ration their food. The adults barely eat—my mother-in-law only ate cashew nuts yesterday. They ration so that the children in the house do not end up malnourished, but time is running out.

I spoke to my mother-in-law this morning. She feels helpless. She has lost hope. She tells me that she feels as though the UK Government has forgotten about her. Please do not interpret my point as a political one; it is not. My mother-in-law is a UK citizen, yet the only communication that she receives from the Foreign Office is a text message telling her what she already knows: the Rafah crossing is closed. She needs the UK Government, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary to spend every minute of every day demanding that their allies in Egypt and Israel open the Rafah crossing now to allow all the UK citizens who are trapped in Gaza safe passage to return home to their families.

I made that point to the Prime Minister this afternoon when we spoke on the phone, and I reiterated the Scottish Government’s call for a ceasefire and for more aid, including fuel, to be allowed into Gaza. I also, of course, reiterated that the Prime Minister has our full support in everything that he is doing to bring British hostages back home.

In the meantime, I have a wife who really wants to hug her mum and dad. I have two girls who really miss their granny and grandad. Like many other families across the country, they just want to know when they will come home, and I am afraid that it is a question to which I simply do not know the answer.

Too many innocent men, women and children are suffering. We cannot allow the conflict to create new tensions in our peaceful communities in Scotland or, indeed, elsewhere in the world. There must be zero tolerance for antisemitism, Islamophobia or sectarian violence of any kind anywhere.

Scotland’s Jewish, Muslim and Palestinian communities are communities that I love. They are ones with which I have grown up and whose pain and sorrow I share. Let me be abundantly clear that, as long as I am First Minister—I am sure that I speak for the entire Parliament—there is no room for antisemitism, Islamophobia or hatred of any kind in Scotland.

I am steadfast in my commitment to solidarity and our strong tradition of inclusion and interfaith working across Scotland. I was pleased to be able to bring together senior rabbis and imams to put their names to a joint statement clearly stating that they will not be divided and that they stand together against hatred in any form.

We all know that there are people who say that violence is inevitable and that it is an eternal constant of our human condition. They are wrong. The human capacity to love is far greater.

Only days before Hamas’s horrific attacks, thousands of women from the Israeli movement Women Wage Peace and the Palestinian movement Women of the Sun held a joint march for peace on 4 October demanding an end to

“the historic cycle of bloodshed”.

After Hamas’s attacks on 7 October, Women Wage Peace issued the following statement:

“Every mother, Jewish and Arab, gives birth to her children to see them grow and flourish and not to bury them. That’s why, even today, amid the pain and the feeling that the belief in peace has collapsed, we extend a hand in peace to the mothers of Gaza and the West Bank.”

It is time that the whole world listened to Women of the Sun, Women Wage Peace and other voices that call us to reduce armed conflict, promote equality and protect the vulnerable so that humanity can unite to overcome violence and hatred, and so that every mother can see her children grow up safely. Surely that is something that every Palestinian and every Israeli deserves.

The Scottish Government reiterates our call for hostages to be released, for an immediate ceasefire, for an end to collective punishment, for more aid, including fuel, to be allowed into Gaza and for those who want to leave, particularly foreign nationals, to be given safe passage to do so. Let us hope together and pray that humanity prevails. [Applause.]

The Presiding Officer

The First Minister will now take questions on the issues raised in his statement. I intend to allow around 20 minutes for questions, after which we will move on to the next item of business. I would be grateful if all members who wish to put a question were to press their request-to-speak button.

Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con)

The barbaric terrorist attack on Israel was horrifying. Innocent civilians were targeted, people murdered in cold blood, women raped and children snatched from their homes, some never to return. We cannot begin to imagine what it is like to live in fear that that could happen.

Israel has more than a right to defend itself. It has an obligation to its people and a duty to protect them by preventing such a terrorist attack from ever happening again. My party stands with Israel. We send our love, our thoughts and our sympathies to each and every one who has lost family members and loved ones.

At this time, we think of the family of Bernard Cowan, who moved from Newton Mearns to Israel and tragically was a victim of the attack. Bernard’s mother, Irene, showed extraordinary courage and dignity just a few days after his death to light a candle in his memory at the service in the Giffnock Newton Mearns synagogue. His whole family remains in our thoughts at this time, as do the families of the hostages, and we reiterate the international calls for their immediate release.

We also stand with the innocent people in Palestine who are caught up in the situation, including the First Minister’s own family. We can see the toll that it has taken on him, his wife Nadia, and their entire family, and we pray for a positive outcome for them.

The Palestinian people are not Hamas. They are civilians, they are innocent and they are caught up in a terrible situation, suffering from the tyranny, exploitation and oppression of Hamas terrorists. On issues like this, words matter and we must be unequivocal: the attack was not carried out by freedom fighters, nor were they militants. There is no just equivalence between the two sides, Israel and Hamas. It was an attack by terrorists, and there should be no debate about that. Terrorism is cowardly. It preys on innocents, it spreads fear and it knows no decency.

Finally, Presiding Officer, although we should never fixate on flags, especially when lives are being lost, I believe that the Scottish Parliament should have shown visibly that it stood with Israel against terrorism and flown its flag after the attack. I am disappointed it did not, especially as it would have shown solidarity with Scotland’s Jewish community in a moment of grief and tragedy. We all know that there has been fear and concern in the Jewish community here in Scotland.

Will the First Minister outline what actions have been taken to support our Jewish friends and neighbours, and what has been done to ensure that there is a zero tolerance approach to antisemitic, Islamophobic and sectarian behaviour?

The First Minister

I thank Douglas Ross for his contribution and for his private message to me earlier last week, when the news of my in-laws being trapped in Gaza became public. He was one of the first to reach out with a very heartfelt message, and I am very grateful to him and to many of his colleagues who have reached out personally to me. As I say, those messages have meant a great deal to me and Nadia; they have given us great comfort in the past two weeks.

Douglas Ross is absolutely right that there is real and palpable fear among many communities here in Scotland, and the Jewish community undoubtedly fears any growing rise in antisemitism, so I will give Douglas Ross a few points of assurance.

First and foremost, I recently had a meeting with the new chief constable of Police Scotland, and she told me that, thankfully, there has not yet been any reported rise in antisemitism or Islamophobia, but that is not to be complacent. There might well be underreporting, as there often is when it comes to hate crime.

It is incumbent on every single one of us to take a zero tolerance approach, but also to do what we can in our constituencies and our leadership positions to take the hands of all communities, but if I take the Muslim community and the Jewish community, who are feeling particularly vulnerable, it is incumbent on us to take their hands and to say that we will do everything we can to shield them from hatred, be it antisemitism or Islamophobia.

That is why have made today’s important joint statement with the senior rabbis and senior imams. I will make sure that that statement is shared with every member of the Scottish Parliament, but members all have mosques in their constituencies, and many will also have synagogues. Of course, members will also have churches in their constituencies, and we know that many Palestinians are from the Christian community. Let us make sure that we do what we can as leaders in our communities to reach out to those who are feeling vulnerable and under attack.

I agree with Douglas Ross’s first point on the fact that we should be unequivocal in our condemnation of the terror attack by Hamas. I hope that he has heard that unequivocally from me, the Government and everybody in the chamber.

There is a broader discussion for another time—I do not think that it is for now—about how we stop the perpetual cycle of violence in the region that we see every few years. That discussion is perhaps for another day; it is one that we can all be involved in and have our own say on.

For now, I thank Douglas Ross for his personal messages to me and note that I am willing to work with everybody and anybody in the chamber to give reassurance to our communities that hatred of any type or form will not be tolerated in Scotland.

Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Lab)

Everyone in Scottish Labour stands with the people who have been affected by the crisis and bloodshed in Israel and Palestine. For those such as Humza Yousaf who have family in Israel or Palestine, this must be a time of great anxiety and worry. They are in my thoughts.

We all unequivocally condemn Hamas and its actions. There is never any justification for targeting civilians or for the loss of innocent life. I think particularly of the family of Bernard Cowan, a Scottish citizen who is one of the many people who was murdered in that horrific act of terror.

Although Israel has a right to defend itself, it must act in accordance with international law. Hamas is not Palestine; there is no justification for the collective punishment of the people of Gaza. Let me be clear: withholding water, electricity, food and medicine is a breach of international law.

It might feel far away, but I still believe in the cause of peace. That is why there must be the immediate release of hostages; the immediate opening of humanitarian corridors, with the free flow of water, food and medicine; a de-escalation in violence, with an end to rocket fire into and out of the Gaza strip; and a peace process, because, right now, sadly, we have no peace and we have no process. That means a two-state solution that delivers peace, freedom and security to the people of Israel and to the people of Palestine, with an end to occupation and illegal siege. Only when every life is treated as equal will we be able to see peace.

I know how much the crisis is affecting people in Scotland. To Scotland’s Jewish, Israeli, Muslim and Palestinian communities, I send my solidarity, love and support. Tragically, whenever there are rising tensions in the middle east, we see a spike in antisemitism and Islamophobia. We must say with one voice that we have zero tolerance for all forms of prejudice and hate and that we stand together with Scotland’s Jewish and Muslim communities in the face of that hate.

What additional action is the Scottish Government taking to tackle antisemitism and Islamophobia in Scotland? In particular, what additional support and resources is the Government making available to protect visible symbols of faith such as places of worship?

It is a time of great hurt. I stand with all those who are in fear of their life or for their loved ones in Israel and Palestine. I stand with all those who are desperate for peace. I stand with Scotland’s Jewish and Muslim communities.

The First Minister

I thank Anas Sarwar for his personal kindness in the messages that he has sent to me and Nadia during this time.

I agree with almost everything that Anas Sarwar has said about international law and collective punishment. He is absolutely right about that, and we all understand Israel’s right—like that of any other country—to protect its citizens from terror. However, that must be done within international law. That can feel difficult to say, but we should be unequivocal about it, because it is when situations are most difficult that we must reiterate the point that international law must be adhered to.

I go one step further than Anas Sarwar. I do not think that the situation requires de-escalation; I think that it requires a ceasefire, which is required now because too many innocent men, women and children have lost their lives in Israel and Gaza. I was looking at a press release from Save the Children, which said that, of those who have been killed in Gaza, around 2,000 are children; if that number is verified, that should haunt us. I call for an immediate ceasefire.

In answer to Anas Sarwar’s last question, I referenced some of the actions that we are taking. Our security for places of worship fund helped a number of religious institutions with their own security. I can check the latest status of that, and will ensure that Anas Sarwar is provided with the details.

I also recently met the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, which does a lot of work on reminding people of the Holocaust, but also of genocides such as the Bosnian genocide and the Rwandan genocide. It does so not only because of those tragic, terrible events but to remind us of the precursor to them, which was hatred, antisemitism and—in the case of the Bosnian genocide—Islamophobia.

We must collectively take a stand, as Anas Sarwar has done over many years. I commit myself to working with everybody across the chamber to stamp out hatred in any form that it exists, anywhere in the country.

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)

I was deeply moved by the words of the First Minister, as I am sure everyone in the entire chamber was. He carried himself with the quiet dignity that has characterised much of his response to the unfolding situation.

Above politics, love for family unites us all. Today, members stand united in their concern for the First Minister’s family, as they do for everyone who is worried about loved ones in Gaza and Israel.

What happened on 7 October was an atrocity. Members of Hamas are terrorists who degraded, kidnapped and murdered hundreds upon hundreds of Israelis, including women and children. What has happened since to the innocent civilians of Gaza, who Hamas hides behind, is fast becoming a humanitarian catastrophe that has shocked the world. Both peoples have a right to live free from fear, so I echo the First Minister’s comments on the need for a ceasefire and the introduction of a humanitarian corridor.

Does the First Minister agree that one can fervently believe in Israel’s right to defend herself within the bounds of international law and, at the same time, support the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination in a country of their own? Does he also agree that although the road to peace may seem vanishingly far away right now, it is a road that we can and must rejoin?

The First Minister

I agree. I also thank Alex Cole-Hamilton for the call that he gave me a couple of weeks ago when the situation was first unfolding. His words of comfort were greatly appreciated. Outside of the chamber, I have been full of admiration for his Liberal Democrat colleague Layla Moran, who also has family in Gaza, and who has spoken very powerfully during the past couple of weeks.

I agree with Alex Cole-Hamilton about the immediate need for a humanitarian corridor. Let us be clear about this: the trickle of aid that is coming into Gaza is simply not enough. It is a start; we all accept that, and any movement is positive, but it is nowhere near enough. A number of United Nations agencies, the World Health Organization and others are calling for at least 100 trucks per day of aid into Gaza. We associate ourselves with calls from the United Nations, the World Health Organization, United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration and other humanitarian organisations.

I also agree with Alex Cole-Hamilton’s point about self-determination. Again, this is no doubt part of a longer debate for another day, but we have all lived our lives seeing these cycles of violence erupt, and until we address the root cause, we will continue to see cycles of violence perpetuate in the region. One of the key issues is that two states were promised. One state exists and has every right to exist, but the other—the Palestinian state—does not exist free and unoccupied. The international community must therefore come forward and redouble its efforts. An honest broker must step forward to allow efforts for a two-state solution to finally be realised, for the people of Israel, of course, and also—crucially—for the people of Palestine.

Gillian Mackay (Central Scotland) (Green)

I thank the First Minister for his heartfelt words, his moral leadership and his bravery during the past two weeks, at a time of unimaginable personal strain. My thoughts and those of my party are with him and his wider family. They are all in our thoughts and prayers.

I wish to associate the Green group with what the First Minister has said this afternoon about the brutality of the Hamas attacks on 7 October and the taking and holding of hostages, on the need for Israel to adhere to international law and to cease the collective punishment of innocent people and families in Gaza, and on the need for immediate actions—including a ceasefire—and the protection of humanitarian corridors and aid access. Here in Scotland, he has our support for our country’s role in supporting people displaced and scarred by conflict and in ensuring that the affected communities continue to see Scotland as a welcoming country.

We must see an end to the tragedy of escalating cycles of violence, so will the First Minister join my party and me in recognising that a negotiated agreement that respects the equal rights of Palestinians and Israelis alike to safety and security in their homeland has never been more urgent?

The First Minister

I will.

On the issue of a refugee scheme, I return to what I said earlier. I know from being married to a Palestinian Scot that Palestinians are very proud people, and they should be. They are proud of their culture, history, language, music and land and they do not want to leave that land. My wife’s family are in Gaza but they were not originally inhabitants of Gaza: they lived on the west bank but were forced to leave following 1948 and ended up in Gaza, where they have been for around 75 years.

People should not be forced to leave, but they are displaced and their homes have been turned to rubble. When those who wish to leave seek safe sanctuary, people in Scotland and across the United Kingdom have been very generous in years gone by in opening their homes and hearts to people, whether from Syria, Ukraine or elsewhere. If that is required, let us show that generosity of spirit again. We are, of course, prepared to work with the United Kingdom Government on any resettlement scheme, which should, I think, focus first on women and children and then on innocent people from across the board.

I agree with Gillian Mackay’s second point about a negotiated agreement. I will not reiterate what I said to Alex Cole-Hamilton, but I agree whole-heartedly with her point that an Israeli life is equal to a Palestinian one and a Palestinian life is equal to an Israeli one. We must move through this difficult and tragic period to see some positive movement and real progress towards a two-state solution and the Palestinian nationhood that has been denied for so many decades.

Clare Adamson (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)

I add my best wishes to the First Minister at this incredibly difficult time for him and to anyone caught up in this conflict.

What I want to take from the chamber today is the word “unity”. Despite the divisions and polarisation that surround such debates, we have seen unity in grief for those who have lost their lives, unity in hope that those still being held hostage will be safely released and unity in solidarity with innocent civilians in both Israel and Gaza, who are suffering unimaginably.

The world rightly condemned the abhorrent attacks by Hamas on 7 October, but the international community must also be equally unambiguous and unequivocal in its commitment to international law and the rejection of any collective punishment of the people of Palestine.

How are the First Minister and his Government engaging with the international community to achieve a ceasefire, humanitarian aid, a humanitarian corridor and a very much-needed negotiated and lasting peace for the region?

The First Minister

I thank Clare Adamson for her words and agree whole-heartedly with her sentiment. We have had many debates here about the issue of Israel and Palestine, which have often been heated and have exposed our differences about the geopolitical situation. It is undoubtedly legitimate to express those differences, but, notwithstanding that, we must be able to unite on the common humanity of the situation. I hope that I made some of that clear in my statement. There is more in this situation for us to agree on than to disagree on.

As long as we keep rooting our response, our empathy and our compassion in the requirement to adhere to international law, there will be more to unite us than to divide us. I return to the point that I made to Douglas Ross: I hope that every member will feel it to be their incumbent duty to reach out to all communities that are feeling vulnerable, particularly our Jewish and Muslim communities, to reassure them that hate crime will not be tolerated.

The UK Government has a reserved remit and responsibility for foreign affairs and it is for it to take forward the issue of a peaceful, two-state solution. I previously made some of the points that were in today’s statement to the Prime Minister and to the Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly.

Where we can add value, I believe that we can be a voice, and I think that it is an important voice. I think that people want to hear what the Scottish Parliament has to say as well as what the Scottish Government has to say, and there will, no doubt, be a lot of interest in that.

A number of our constituents will feel helpless in the situation and will want to be able to help, and I would urge them to consider donating to the UN flash appeal for humanitarian aid, as the Scottish Government has done.

We will continue to provide a humanitarian response where we can. We will continue to be an important voice to urge peace, to urge for a ceasefire, to urge for a humanitarian corridor and to urge for hostages to be released. I will continue to do that on behalf of the Scottish Government and I am certain that we will be able to do that together as the Scottish Parliament.

Meghan Gallacher (Central Scotland) (Con)

I, too, associate myself with the comments that colleagues have made in relation to the First Minister’s family.

The UK Government has engaged in intensive diplomatic efforts to open the Rafah crossing from Gaza into Egypt to allow humanitarian aid to enter the territory. The crossing is now partially open and aid trucks have been arriving over the past few days. Does the First Minister recognise those efforts and acknowledge the delivery of aid into the Gazan territory so far?

The First Minister

I do recognise, of course, the intense diplomatic efforts that a number of Governments—the UK Government, the United States Government, the Egyptian Government and many other Governments across the world—have been involved in. I welcome that, but I go back to my point, with which I am sure Meghan Gallacher would agree, that it is a fraction of what is needed.

We are listening to the UN agencies on the ground, and I heard Medical Aid for Palestinians say just yesterday that hospitals are running out of not just medical supplies but, importantly, fuel. I spoke to the Prime Minister this afternoon and I know that he is also encouraging fuel to be allowed in—a call that I align myself with whole-heartedly. We need that to happen urgently given what some hospitals are reporting. The Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza is reporting that it only has 48 hours before it will shut down, and that is Gaza’s largest hospital, as Meghan Gallacher will know.

I welcome the efforts, but we need to see far more than 20 aid trucks a day going in. We need at least 100 aid trucks a day, according to humanitarian organisations.

Ivan McKee (Glasgow Provan) (SNP)

The latest round of the tragic conflicts between Israel and Palestine has so far claimed the lives of more than 5,000 people, most of them innocent civilians. We condemn the brutal acts carried out by Hamas, but we also recognise that collective punishment of a civilian population by Israel is a war crime.

Does the First Minister agree that a lasting peace will only come about through negotiations that recognise the rights of Palestinians in Gaza and in the west bank, remembering, of course, that many innocent Palestinians have been killed by settlers and soldiers in the west bank while this conflict has continued? Will he join me in calling for an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages?

The First Minister

I agree with the sentiments expressed by Ivan McKee, who has a long-standing history of engaging with the situation. He has been to Palestine, I think, on a number of occasions and he has seen at first hand some of the challenges that exist in that region. The numbers that he reads out are more than statistics; they are people. The 5,000 people in Gaza and, we think, round about 1,400 that have been killed in Israel are real people with real families—real children, real mothers and real fathers who are all in mourning at their loss. I pay my condolences and the condolences of the Scottish Government to all those families who suffer in grief.

The member’s point about collective punishment is one that I have reiterated and will reiterate again. It cannot be justified. Cutting off electricity, food, fuel and supplies cannot be justified, I am afraid. It goes against the principles of international law.

The points that Ivan McKee makes about the west bank are well made. That is why this Government has had a long-standing position on the end of the occupation, the end of the siege or blockade of Gaza and recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to their own state, which is, of course, an objective that the international community agreed to not years ago, but decades ago. We have to see movement on that, and it has to happen in such a way, of course, that the Israeli Government and the people of Israel also have their rights and their safety protected. That is a position that I know Ivan McKee fully agrees with, too.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)

I very much agree with the First Minister’s comments about solidarity and inclusion in Scotland. However, across the UK, for this month alone, a 1,300 per cent increase in antisemitic hate crime has been recorded and Islamophobic hate crime is up by 140 per cent. We are, of course, united in saying that hatred, violence and racism in any form cannot be tolerated. Will the First Minister advise whether our laws are sufficiently robust to tackle antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crime? Separately, what discussions has he had with local authorities and the UK Government about encouraging community cohesion?

The First Minister

Jackie Baillie has made important points. I do not want her to misinterpret the remarks that I made previously to mean that there is any complacency; there certainly is not. The chief constable made it clear to me that, although Police Scotland has not seen a rise, there can often be a delay in reporting.

Because Jackie Baillie has been involved in the fight against hatred and bigotry for many years, she knows well that there can be lots of underreporting and that there can be a real worry or anxiety in communities about reporting to the authorities. That is why we have third-party reporting centres, which are really important.

I will certainly consider what more we can do with local government, and with the UK Government where necessary, to send a united message that not only do we oppose antisemitism, Islamophobia and hatred in any way, shape or form, there are means and methods by which people can report such things. That will give them confidence, I hope, and lessen their anxiety.

I go back to the point that I made in my answer to Douglas Ross: we all have a responsibility—which every member of the Parliament knows well and takes very seriously—to reassure our communities that we will not stand for any hatred whatsoever. However, I will certainly reflect on Jackie Baillie’s well-made points about what more we can do with local government.

Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)

Across the UK, we have warmly welcomed refugees from Ukraine, Syria and other countries. I whole-heartedly agree with the First Minister that we should now offer the same option for safety and sanctuary to refugees from Palestine. Will the First Minister confirm again that Scotland is ready to play its part in welcoming those who wish to leave Gaza?

The First Minister

We are. We will begin with our colleagues in local government the process and the work necessary for a resettlement scheme. The UK Government has had resettlement schemes for Ukrainians. We have also had the Syrian vulnerable persons resettlement scheme for displaced Syrian people. We worked hand in glove with our local government colleagues to ensure that we had the appropriate housing, public services and resettlement programme in place for those scheme. We will begin that work so that, if there is a requirement for a refugee scheme, we are ready and prepared to be the first country to offer that safety and sanctuary when it is required.

I go back to the point that I made to Gillian Mackay. The Palestinians are a very proud people. They are proud of their land. Nobody should be forced to leave. However, if there is such a requirement, the international community must be involved, given some of the numbers that we are talking about. Such a situation will not be resolved by the UK or Scotland alone but will need a worldwide effort to offer a refugee scheme for those who need it.

Jackson Carlaw (Eastwood) (Con)

In his very public embrace of Irene Cowan in her moment of deepest grief, and in his reflections and remarks to a packed congregation in the Giffnock Newton Mearns synagogue, the First Minister’s sincerity and empathy were deeply impressive and hugely appreciated by Jewish constituents in my Eastwood constituency. In turn, they know that, perhaps two decades apart, he and I grew up in a community in which we had many Jewish neighbours and friends, and their sympathy and understanding for all the innocents in the region—in particular, for the wellbeing of the First Minister's family—was equally sincere.

The Jewish community in Scotland is small. It has perhaps 11,000 souls, half of whom live in and around my Eastwood constituency. They have never been more fearful or anxious. They may take some comfort from the forthcoming visit of the chief rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, to the Calderwood Lodge campus, which is the first and only joint Catholic-Jewish primary school campus anywhere in the world and a tribute to the work of interfaith communities in Scotland to improve things for people in their communities, to protect them and to make them feel safe.

In light of everything that the First Minister has said, what more can he do to work with local politicians in communities such as mine to demonstrate that we stand together and are determined to ensure that people will continue to feel welcome and safe?

The First Minister

Jackson Carlaw has articulated powerfully many of the sentiments that we are all feeling. He has been a long-standing friend of the Jewish community since even before his election to this Parliament. I know that that is well recognised, and I saw that at first hand when I was at the synagogue for the service, in his solidarity and prayer.

I also spoke to the chief rabbi, Rabbi Mirvis, last week. I was again deeply touched by the fact that he made a point of telling me that he was praying not just for my family but for all the innocent men, women and children in Gaza. I can give Jackson Carlaw, I hope, a reassurance that not only are our words important—although they are important; people need to hear what we are saying about our joint endeavour to tackle antisemitism, Islamophobia and hatred—but actions are important as well. That is why I take it as a personal responsibility to be visible and to engage with communities that are very fearful indeed.

I can give Jackson Carlaw two assurances. One is that I will continue to do that. Given his standing in the Jewish community, I am more than happy to hear any suggestions that he has of where he and I can do that together, any visits he thinks need to be done, any people he thinks I need to talk to and, indeed, any role he thinks the Government can play in facilitating community conversations. We stand ready to do that.

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)

Robert Burns has been quoted often since this tragedy unfolded. He said:

“Man’s inhumanity to man,
Makes countless thousands mourn.”

Can the First Minister give the people of Scotland an assurance that he will focus on humanitarian support, reconciliation and peace in order to save the countless thousands of innocent lives that are still at risk?

The First Minister

I can. I see it as a duty of the Government to continue to speak out and make sure that our response is rooted in empathy, compassion and international law, so that everybody who is suffering—there are many suffering in Gaza and Israel—believes that the Government speaks for peace, justice, compassion and humanity.

I will do everything that I can in my gift and in the Government’s gift to assure people at home and abroad. In this day and age of social media, there has been an interest in what the Government in Scotland has to say, as well as in what Governments have to say across the world. We will continue to raise our voice where appropriate and, of course, to give an assurance to all the people of Scotland. We have concentrated a lot on the Jewish community and the Muslim community, but there are many communities—atheists, agnostics, Christians, people of all faiths and none—who are genuinely concerned about the plight of their fellow men, women and children in Israel and Gaza. We will continue to do what we can to raise our voice and to contribute to the humanitarian effort that is on-going.

Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Lab)

We know that since 7 October, in addition to many other innocent civilians, at least 21 journalists have tragically been killed. Journalists continue to do their job in the most difficult of circumstances. Democracy relies on a free press, particularly against the backdrop of misinformation. Will the First Minister take the opportunity to express his solidarity with the journalists in Israel and Palestine, as they seek to provide accurate information in a responsible way?

The First Minister

Neil Bibby makes an excellent point. Fearless journalism has allowed us to see the true horrors of this conflict, the true horrors of the barbaric attack by Hamas and the true horrors of the collective punishment that is taking place, unfortunately, in Gaza. It has been horrific, but it is important that we see that, because that precipitates the appropriate response from all of us in the international community.

Many journalists—21, as Neil Bibby has said—have lost their lives. I pay tribute to them. I give my commiserations, my condolences and my sympathies to their families, and I pay tribute to those journalists’ fearlessness. As Neil Bibby rightly puts it, we owe them a debt of gratitude that I suspect we will not be able to repay.

Ruth Maguire (Cunninghame South) (SNP)

I have been contacted by constituents who feel distressed and concerned about the unfolding situation in Gaza, and who have asked me to speak up. I can do that here. I condemn the barbaric terrorism of Hamas and urge it to release all hostages unharmed. I urge the Israeli Government to operate within international law and cease the dehumanising, genocidal language towards and collective punishment of innocent men, women and children in Gaza.

Can the First Minister provide any guidance on how my constituents, without a platform such as ours, can not only express solidarity but provide practical assistance to the Palestinian people at this time?

The First Minister

Speaking out is really important. We have seen many demonstrations across cities and towns in Scotland and right across the United Kingdom. It is important to facilitate people’s participation in that peaceful democratic process. That is an important outlet for people to channel their anger, frustration, compassion and humanity. It is important to state that we support people’s right to do that.

I completely understand the helplessness that people feel when they see the scenes unfolding on the television screens and across social media. One of the ways in which we all can contribute—the Government has done this—is through the UN flash appeal. The UN is asking for around $300 million—I think that it is $294 million—for the on-going humanitarian crisis. We can donate to the flash appeal from those trusted partners that are delivering humanitarian aid. Although we are seeing only a trickle of trucks go in just now, my expectation is that that number will increase and increase as time goes on.

The Presiding Officer

That concludes the First Minister’s statement. There will be a short pause before we move on to the next item of business.