The House of Commons blew up yesterday over a motion to condemn Israel for its “collective punishment” of the Palestinian people. The motion was brought forward by the Scottish National Party (SNP), with support from some Liberal Democrats and some Labour Party MPs. That was scary enough that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer reportedly induced the Speaker of the Commons Lindsay Hoyle to allow a vote on a Labour amendment which did not include the words “collective punishment,” before voting on that SNP motion. This was a break from the usual procedure, causing a walkout by SNP and Tory MPs. After the walkout, the Labour amendment was then passed, precluding a vote on the SNP motion.
MP Brendan O’Hara, of the SNP, said the House of Commons had the chance to be on “the right side of history” by voting to end the violence as the party called for an immediate end to fighting, reported Middle East Eye (MEE). “No-one would deny that Israel has the right to defend itself…. What no country has the right to do is to lay siege to a civilian population, carpet bomb densely inhabited areas, drive people from their homes, erase an entire civilian infrastructure, and impose collective punishment involving cutting off water, electricity, food, and medicine from civilians.”
SNP lawmaker Anum Qaisar highlighted the U.K.’s complicity in the war, including the supply of spare parts for Israel’s F-35 stealth fighters. “It is morally corrupt and sickens me to my core that the U.K. continues to sell arms to Israel,” Qaisar said.
