A petition has been launched in Scotland calling for the immediate resignation of Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, in the Scottish Government after he met with the Deputy Ambassador of Israel.
“We call for the immediate resignation of Angus Robertson as the Scottish Government’s External Relations and Culture Minister following his meeting with the Deputy Israeli Ambassador to the UK, at which they discussed deepening Scottish relations with the Israeli government in fields including technology, culture and renewable energy.
“We also call on the Scottish government to dissolve the Holyrood cross-party group, ‘Building Bridges with Israel’ whose stated purpose includes, ‘to engage with Israel and build links based on business, culture and academia’.”
Early this week it was revealed that Robertson had met in a secret meeting with the Israeli Deputy Ambassador. This appears to have been not known of at the time by First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, although he subsequently stepped in to defend the actions of his Cabinet Secretary.
The meeting comes during widespread campaigns throughout Scotland condemning the Israeli military forces campaign of genocide in Gaza. On Saturday islanders in Orkney will meet, which they have been doing now for over 10 months, in a vigil on the Kirk Green ,Broad Street, between 1 and 2 pm. The islanders are calling for an immediate ceasefire, the return of all hostages, and the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid.
In November 2023, the Scottish Parliament, voted in favour of an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
There is growing discontent among Robertson’s own party colleagues at the meeting with the Israeli Deputy Ambassador.
Meanwhile the destruction of Gaza continues by the Israeli military with the death toll now exceeding 40,000. UN rights chief Volker Türk said:
“Most of the dead are women and children. This unimaginable situation is overwhelmingly due to recurring failures by the Israeli Defense Forces to comply with the rules of war.
“On average, about 130 people have been killed every day in Gaza over the past 10 months… the scale of the Israeli military’s destruction of homes, hospitals, schools and places of worship [is] deeply shocking.”
A spokesperson for the relief agency UNRWA said: Gazans “remain trapped in an endless nightmare of death and destruction on a staggering scale”
Deadly Attacks in The West Bank
Israeli settlers in the West Bank went on a deadly rampage on the village of Jit on Thursday which left a Palestinian man dead and about a dozen injured, OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani described the incident as “horrific”.
According to latest OHCHR monitoring, 609 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank including East Jerusalem since Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel on 7 October.
This number includes 146 children, eight women and at least four people with disabilities.
A OHCHR spokesperson said that very few investigations take place into the attacks taking place in The West Bank.
“There have been very few investigations but even in those cases, most of the times these do not conclude with justice for the victims and for the perpetrators. There are reports of Israeli security forces standing by as attacks take place. There are even reports of weapons being distributed to the settlers. So, there is clearly a State responsibility in this regard.”
The Orkney islanders welcome anyone who wishes to join them in their vigil on the Kirk Green, Broad Street, Kirkwall, on Saturday 17th August between 1 and 2pm.
Images from the Orkney Vigil 10th August 2024. Images by Christie Grahame
Film by Mike Robertson of the Orkney Vigil for Gaza held on 3rd August 2024
Click on this link for the petition: Respect for International law – Angus Robertson must resign
Fiona Grahame
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