LONDON, Aug 7 (Bernama-Anadolu) — The Scottish government is considering whether to impose a formal boycott on Israel after the Greens co-leader urged First Minister John Swinney to adopt the principles of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.
As Scottish daily The National reported on Thursday, the Greens’ Ross Greer called for sweeping measures including official guidance to businesses, cutting funding to arms firms linked to Israel, and enabling councils to exclude companies involved in the occupation of Palestinian territories.
A Scottish government spokesperson confirmed that Cabinet ministers will “consider” the proposal.
The BDS movement seeks to apply economic and political pressure on Israel similar to the international boycott of apartheid-era South Africa. The move would mirror anti-apartheid boycotts and target firms linked to Israeli occupation, arms trade, and settlement activity.
Greer’s letter to Swinney called for official guidance to be issued to Scottish businesses, encouraging them to end trade with Israel, a move similar to measures taken against Russia in 2022 following the start of the Ukraine war.
Greer also urged the government to repeal part of the UK’s Local Government Act 1988, which currently restricts councils from excluding companies from contracts based on political criteria.
He suggested amending the Community Wealth Building Bill to enable local authorities to bar firms involved in “the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory.”
Greer further called for an end to public funding for arms companies that have supplied Israel “during the genocide” and for the government to cut ties with “all other companies directly complicit in the occupation.”
He added that pension funds should be encouraged to divest from companies “complicit in Israel’s apartheid regime,” and proposed that financial penalties be imposed on such companies.
“The worst crime against humanity of our time is being inflicted on the Palestinian people right in front of our eyes. Scotland has a moral responsibility to act. The same approach helped end apartheid in South Africa. Now we must show solidarity with the people of Palestine,” he added.
A Scottish government spokesperson responded: “The Scottish government has repeatedly called for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and an urgent increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
“The Scottish government will continue to press the UK government to recognise a sovereign Palestinian state, as part of a two-state solution to secure lasting peace in the region. Ministers will consider and reply to Greer’s letter,” the spokesperson added.
— BERNAMA-ANADOLU
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