Scottish Labour Conference calls for Arms Embargo on Israel
25 February 2025 - SACC
The Scottish Labour Party Conference held in Glasgow on 21-23 February 2025 overwhelmingly passed a resolution that calls for a ban on arms sales to Israel and condemns Donald Trump's statement that he intends to “own” Gaza and that Palestinians would have “no right to live there”.
The motion was tabled by Cunningham South Constituency Labour Party (CLP) with the support of Glasgow Kelvin CLP.
The resolution states:
"Conference condemns the announcement in the week beginning 11th February by Donald Trump that he intends to “Own” Gaza and that Palestinians would have “no right to live there”.
Conference believes that under the United Nations and other International Treaties this would amount to “Ethnic Cleansing” in an area already subjected to an ongoing Genocide.
Conference notes pronouncements by Israeli government leaders, including Benjamin Netanyahu, supporting President Trump’s statement on the illegal removal of Palestinians from Gaza.
Conference notes that Israel has banned UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, leading to huge uncertainty on how aid can be distributed to hundreds of thousands who are dependent on it.
Palestinian civil society, including trade unions, have re-iterated their call on counterparts around the world to support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) to end all complicity with Israel’s crimes.
Conference calls on the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Minister for International Development and Scottish Government to make clear:
1. This is ethnic cleansing and is totally unacceptable.
2. That the UK will do all it can to support the Palestinian people in their unalienable right to self-determination in their homeland and oppose any move to remove Palestinians from Gaza.
3. The UK will cease ALL Arms trades with Israel as a result of this and the genocidal actions of Benjamin Netanyahu.
4. End all funding for companies involved in supplying arms or parts for arms to Israel and banning all trade with illegal Israeli settlements and all other trade that aids or assists Israel’s violations of international law."
Campaign for Socialism secretary and Glasgow Kelvin CLP delegate Peter Duffy told the Morning Star:
“Pressure from left-wing members and trade unions has moved Scottish Labour from a position in October 2023 when it banned internal debate on Gaza, to one where it supports not just a complete arms embargo, but also an end to trade with illegal Israeli settlements. We will keep up the fight to show solidarity with the Palestinian people in their struggle for the creation of a Palestinian state."
The Gaza Genocide Emergency Committee (GGEC) and Edinburgh Gaza Genocide Emergency Committee (EGGEC) held a march and rally outside the Conference on Saturday 22 February.
Photo: Protestors marching to the Scottish Labour Party Conference, Glasgow, 22 February 2025 © Eastern Goodwin Media / Alamy Stock Photo
