Thursday April 4th 2024
Midlothian MP Owen Thompson has called for the UK Parliament to be urgently recalled to ban arms sales to Israel.
He demanded the immediate recall of the House of Commons after the Israeli air strikes on Gaza which killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers including three UK citizens.
He said the Prime Minister must come to Parliament without delay to outline the UK Government’s response to the killing of UK citizens by Israel.
SNP Chief Whip Thompson said: “The SNP has been advocating for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel since October of last year.
“We have consistently urged the UK Government to take stronger action to achieve a prompt cessation of hostilities, including halting arms sales to Israel.
“Despite the compelling evidence of Israel’s violation of international law through its indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza and its punitive measures against the Palestinian population, our calls to cease arms sales to Israel have been repeatedly rebuffed by both the UK Government and the Labour Party.
“Given that three UK citizens were among those tragically killed in the Israeli strike on World Central Kitchen aid workers, it is imperative that the UK Parliament convenes without delay.
“This critical situation necessitates the Prime Minister’s immediate appearance before Parliament to present the UK Government’s response to the loss of UK citizens at the hands of Israel.
“Such an appearance will allow Members of Parliament to scrutinise the government’s actions and provide an opportunity for Parliament to debate and vote on the cessation of arms sales to Israel.”
The charity has confirmed that John Chapman, 57, Jim Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, were among the staff killed when their convoy was struck after unloading food in the Palestinian enclave.
The incident has prompted condemnation, with calls for the UK government to suspend arms sales to Israel.
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