Where does Scotland stand in this illegal war?

SPSC, 23 March 2026

After 2½ years of genocide in Gaza, Israel is escalating its violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and once again invading and bombing Lebanon. Israel and the US launched an unprovoked surprise attack on Iran, assassinated the head of state and other senior government figures, and targeted schools, hospitals, key civilian infrastructure, as well as military sites.

The seemingly unhinged US President approvingly compared his attack on Iran to the 1941 Japanese strike on Pearl Harbour and stated he could resume bombing of an Iranian oil hub "just for fun". This latest war, driven by Trump and an Israeli Prime Minister already wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), has already caused widespread suffering and raises the spectre of a global catastrophe. Every citizen of Scotland is already paying a price and will pay more as a direct consequence of this escalation.

This is a war to achieve genocidal Israel’s unchallenged dominance in the region, including potential expansion into neighbouring countries. The UK military has actively participated in Israel’s actions in Gaza, and Starmer is now dragging us dangerously into this illegal war; Starmer has already insisted that "Israel does have that right" to deny water to Palestinians in Gaza. The UK played a key role in creating and supporting a nuclear-armed Israeli state that now threatens to unleash further suffering worldwide to achieve its goals.

Scotland needs to distance itself from this military alliance with Israel by:

• Condemning and dissociating from the UK–Israel 2030 Strategic Roadmap
• Refusing the use of Scottish airports and military bases for US–Israeli military operations
• Ending all relations between government bodies and the de facto Israeli consulate in Scotland