By Bill Heaney
Tomorrow in the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Labour will vote for an immediate ceasefire.
Scottish Labour will also add to the SNP motion to strengthen the Parliament’s position by adding calls for the International Criminal Court to investigate the conduct of all parties in this conflict and for an end to illegal occupation and siege.
However, the SNP press office has attacked Scottish Labour this morning despite a concerted effort by business managers on both sides to agree a consensual motion.
Any attempt by the SNP to not give full support to Scottish Labour’s amendment will only weaken the position of the parliament.
A Scottish Labour spokesman said: “This is a profoundly disappointing approach from the SNP publicly.
“Since last Thursday the SNP and Scottish Labour have been working on both a motion and amendment which represented the broad consensus across the parliament.
“Before this statement Business Managers from both parties had agreed to support both the SNP’s motion and Labour’s amendment.
“Scottish Labour’s amendment strengthens this motion by backing a ceasefire and adding calls for the International Criminal Court to investigate the conduct of all parties in this conflict.
“Despite agreement between Labour and the SNP on both the motion calling for an immediate ceasefire and the Labour amendment which goes further, the SNP have now indicated they want to play petty politics with this issue instead.
“The SNP press office should retract this shameful attack which tarnishes the work both parties have done behind the scenes on this important issue.”
Scottish Labour’s amendment:
Adds to end: recognises that in order any ceasefire to work it requires all sides to comply; is horrified by the Hamas statement that they would repeat the October 7th attacks and continue rocket fire; regrets that Benjamin Netanyahu has stated the will not even consider a ceasefire; therefore calls on the international community to use every form of diplomacy to try and create the conditions on the ground to make a ceasefire a reality; calls on the International Criminal Court to investigate the conduct of all parties in this conflict; and reaffirms our commitment to a lasting peace and a two state solution with the end of illegal occupation, siege, and settlements.