Humza Yousaf: UK must 鈥渟top arms sales to Israel鈥�
Scotland鈥檚 First Minister Humza Yousaf says arming Israel makes UK 鈥榗omplicit in the killing of innocent people鈥�
The First Minister of Scotland has told HARDtalk that 鈥榯he UK Government has to stop arms sales to Israel鈥� because otherwise it will be 鈥榗omplicit in the killing of innocent people鈥�.
Humza Yousaf described the situation facing his wife鈥檚 family in Gaza as 鈥榖eyond the worst catastrophe that any of us could imagine鈥�. Mr Yousaf was one of the first UK leaders to call for an immediate ceasefire, but this is the first time he has warned of the UK being 鈥榗omplicit鈥� in the actions of Israel鈥檚 government.
Speaking to Stephen Sackur, Mr Yousaf said, 鈥榯he evidence that we've seen certainly suggests that war crimes have been committed鈥�. He cited 鈥榓id workers killed by an Israeli strike鈥�, referring to the attack on a World Central Kitchen convoy which the Israel Defense Forces called a 鈥榞rave accident鈥�. The First Minister described Israel鈥檚 government as one which has 鈥榖ombed schools, bombed refugee camps, bombed UN facilities鈥�.
Humza Yousaf is the first Muslim leader of a country in Western Europe. He condemned the 鈥榙isgraceful terrorist attack by Hamas鈥� on October 7th and insisted that the group 鈥榮hould be held to account鈥� for the 鈥榓trocious crimes鈥�. But Israel, the First Minister said, 鈥榟as gone beyond a legitimate response鈥�. Warning of the 鈥榗ollective punishment鈥� of the people in Gaza, Mr Yousaf said, 鈥榶ou cannot hold 2.2 million people responsible and use starvation, frankly, as a weapon of war鈥�.
