Scottish First Minister John Swinney announced that his government will revise its financial support rules for arms manufacturers to deter them from trading with countries accused of committing genocide, according to Arab News.
The announcement came after the Scottish government urged the UK to join a case at the International Court of Justice against Israel.
Swinney noted that defense companies in Scotland will be required to prove they have no business ties with the Israeli military in order to qualify for future financial support.
“The scale of suffering (in Gaza) is unimaginable. Nobody can ignore it. We must confront this crisis with urgency, compassion and an unwavering commitment to accountability,” he told the Scottish parliament.
Moreover, both the Scottish Enterprise business agency and the Scottish National Investment Bank have been directed not to offer financial support to companies that fail to comply with the new rules.
At the same time, Scotland plans to scale back trade relations with Israel, with Scottish Enterprise instructed not to help new export agreements for non-military goods.
A UK government source described Swinney’s moves as “all over the place,” after he also revealed plans to help defense companies — many of which arm Israel — supplying munitions to Ukraine.
“We have suspended licenses for exports of military equipment to the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) that might be used in operations in Gaza, subject to the special measures in place for exports to the global F-35 program, based on our assessment that these could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law,” UK government spokesperson said.
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