Reform Party leader Malcolm Offord asked John Swinney to condemn racism he claimed was being whipped up in the Scottish Parliament.
by BILL HEANEY
He added: “Not to be outdone, the Scottish Greens’ co-leader, Ross Greer, went further, describing Zionism as being founded on genocide.
“Let it be said loud and clear in this chamber: Zionism is neither racist nor genocidal. Zionism is a legitimate right of the Jewish people to a homeland in Palestine, which is enshrined in international law and recognised by the United Nations since 1949.
“Under international law, Israel has the legal right to defend herself after the barbaric and medieval attack launched by Hamas on 7 October 2023.”
Mr Offord asked First Minister John Swinney to agree with him that “there was no established international, historical, political or legal basis for Ross Greer’s provocative claim that the state of Israel was founded in 1948 through an act of genocide against the Palestinian people?”
John Swinney told the Scottish Parliament that he disagreed with the Greens, Scottish, Welsh and English.
“On Monday, I hosted representatives of the Jewish community in Bute House to mark the anniversary of the 7 October attack. I reassured the community of my concern, as First Minister, for their safety and security in Scotland, and I reiterate that in Parliament today.
“Parliament will be very familiar with the points that I have made on the response of the Israeli Government to the attack on 7 October, which has unleashed intolerable suffering on the people of Palestine, leading to an extraordinary level of suffering as a consequence. I reiterate those comments in Parliament today.”
Indeed, when the First Minister met the members of the Jewish community, he will have heard firsthand about the intimidation, violence and racism that they experience as they go about their own peaceful lives in Scotland. Dr Sue Siegel of the Jewish Council of Scotland recently spoke of the anguish in her community, citing fear of physical violence for wearing a Star of David necklace, young boys avoiding wearing skullcaps and families being scared to worship in their local synagogue. How can there be such daily intimidation in Scotland just for being Jewish?”
He added: “The First Minister has recognised that he has a responsibility to the Jewish community in Scotland to make them feel safe. Surely, therefore, he must start with condemning the racist rhetoric and blatant antisemitism of the Green Party.”
Mr Swinney replied: “Dr Siegel is one of the members of the Jewish community who came to Bute House on Monday. She is a lady whom I respect, and I value her counsel at all times.
“My duty as First Minister is to make sure that every community in our country feels safe and protected—every community. That applies to the Jewish community, and I acknowledge that. That is why I invited the Jewish community to Bute House to meet me and remember the atrocities together, and so that I could express my solidarity. That extends to all communities in Scotland.
“I do not think that, on a day when Thomas Kerr [Reform MSP] is going to lead a members’ business debate in this chamber demanding that women be forbidden from wearing the burqa in our country, Malcolm Offord is in any position to lecture me or invite me to stand on behalf of all communities. As First Minister of Scotland, I will always defend the safety of every single community in our country, and I deplore the content of the debate that we are going to hear tonight. “
“Last month, an amendment was lodged to a Scottish Parliament motion on Middle East boycotts that, first, explicitly condemned the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October 2023; secondly, recognised Israel as a democratic state; thirdly, affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself and, fourthly, opposed blanket boycotts.
“That amendment was defeated, with 54 SNP MSPs voting against it.
“Last week, SNP minister Hannah Mary Goodlad attacked Kim Schmulian in this chamber for supporting the only democracy in the Middle East, claiming that Israel was perpetrating genocide in Gaza.
“Meanwhile, Palestinian flags fly from municipal buildings across Scotland, with the Israeli flag banned from this very building. The International Court of Justice has not made any judicial ruling that Israel has committed genocide in Palestine.”
He asked the First Minister to “unequivocally condemn the racism being whipped up against Israel in this chamber? Will he now expel his friends in the racist Green Party from sharing his platform at the SNP conference in Aberdeen next week?”
But the First Minister was not for turning.
He told MSPs: “It is utterly beyond parody that Malcolm Offord invites me to take action on racism when he leads a party that has brought racism into this parliamentary chamber. I have served in this Parliament since 1999, and I have answered questions for many years from this podium.
“Not once have I previously been asked to ban the burqa or to divide communities in our country, but I have been invited to do so since May, since that lot [Reform MSPs] came into this Parliament. That speaks for itself.”