Ross Greer, co-leader of the Scottish Green Party, has demanded that UK citizens who fought with Israel in the Palestinian conflict should face war crimes trials upon their return home. The MSP called on Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC, Scotland's top prosecutor, to take action against these individuals.
Greer said: "Make sure that every single one of these war criminals is arrested and prosecuted." He also urged businesses across Scotland to cease all trading relationships with Israel and sever any ties with the country.
The politician described the conflict in Palestine as "the worst war atrocity of our age" during his address to party members.
Conference address in Edinburgh
Speaking at the Scottish Green Party conference in Edinburgh on Saturday, Greer made explosive claims about the nature of the conflict. He told delegates: "A genocide has been gleefully inflicted on the people of Palestine right in front of our eyes, in open view."
With a ceasefire now in place, Greer warned against allowing the events of the past two years to be forgotten. He said there was "huge amount of pressure to just forget, to just move on as if the last two years didn't happen".
The Green MSP insisted his party would "never forget what has been inflicted on Palestine" and would "never stop pushing for justice".
Calls for prosecutions
Greer outlined what he saw as the party's key responsibility moving forward. He said: "Our most important role in the time ahead is in ensuring that every individual who has inflicted this genocide is held to justice."
The MSP painted a stark picture of the situation facing Scotland. He warned: "Over the coming weeks and months we will face a reality of people who went from the UK to serve in Israel's occupation forces, who have spent the last two years inflicting that genocide on the people of Palestine, returning here. War criminals returning to walk our streets and live in our communities."
Greer justified his call for prosecutions by stating: "That's why the Scottish Greens are calling on our Government and on the Lord Advocate to make sure that every single one of these war criminals is arrested and prosecuted, because a war crime anywhere in the world is a war crime under Scots law."
Government criticism
The Green politician drew comparisons with Scotland's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He noted that the Scottish Government had "rightly" called on businesses to "cut all links, to cease all trade" with Russia after the invasion.
However, Greer criticised the inconsistent approach towards Israel. While acknowledging that First Minister John Swinney had recognised "what has happened in Palestine is a genocide", he argued the Scottish Government "still will not call for that same action against Israel".
Greer concluded with a direct appeal to Scottish businesses: "The Scottish Greens are calling for every business in this country to cease all trade, to stop all links with Israel until the occupation is ended and until every Palestinian can live in peace, freedom and dignity. We owe it to our Palestinian friends to keep fighting, to keep campaigning."
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
