Statement: Bombing of Gaza City hospital
Commenting on the destruction of Al Ahli Hospital, which has killed hundreds of people in Gaza, Scottish Greens external affairs spokesperson Ross Greer MSP has said the UK Government has an 'overwhelming moral responsibility' to work for an immediate ceasefire and to compel Israel to lift its seventeen year siege of Gaza and end its illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.
Mr Greer said:
“There can never be any possible justification for striking a hospital. To do so is horrific beyond any words and those responsible must be held to account.
“Israel and Hamas must follow the Palestinian Authority in accepting the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. There must be consequences for these blatant war crimes. None of the people at Al Ahli Hospital deserved this.
“International law must be binding, it cannot be thrown away, ignored or discarded. Human lives are too valuable. As Scotland's First Minister said earlier, Palestinian lives matter just as much as Israeli lives.
“The collective punishment inflicted on the people of Gaza is a war crime. Israel has created a humanitarian crisis, knowingly restricting food, water and electricity. Two million people cannot be made to suffer for the horrific actions of Hamas.
“There is an overwhelming moral responsibility on all governments, but especially those like the UK Government who have been complicit in Israel's actions, to not only call for restraint, but to actively work for an urgent and lasting ceasefire and to break this cycle of violence. That means compelling Israel to end its seventeen year long siege of Gaza and its illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.
“In the immediate term, Israel must be forced to allow humanitarian corridors for medical aid and the evacuation of civilians.
“A just and lasting peace cannot be built on war crimes and atrocities. It can only come from an end to the siege and occupation and a shared respect for humanity and international law.”