(Image: AP Photo/Yousef Al Zanoun)
The Scottish Government has been accused of a 'clear lack of will' to enforce its own boycott, divestment and sanctions bill against Israel.
In September last year, Holyrood voted to "immediately impose a package of boycotts, divestment and sanctions targeted at the State of Israel and at companies complicit in its military operations and its occupation of Palestine".
However, it has been accused of failing to properly implement the measures.
The Scottish Government has chosen to partner with Barclays on an upcoming bond issue, despite the bank holding £2billion worth of shares in companies such as BAE Systems, Boeing and Raytheon which supply, directly or indirectly, the Israel Defence Forces.
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Barclays also provides loans and underwriting to various companies which supply Israel with weapons and military technology. It says it does not directly invest in those companies.
The bank also helps Israel to sell government debt on the bond markets. It says it connects countries, including Israel, "to the international capital markets through weekly debt auctions" but it does not directly invest.
ScotRail, which is publicly owned, has included Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles on a shortlist of five bidders to provide at least 69 new trains despite the Basque company operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Israel is facing a charge at the International Court of Justice alleging it has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Palestinians inspect the site of an early morning Israeli airstrike in Gaza city (Image: AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
A ruling is not expected until at least 2029 but its actions have been described as such by a UN Commission of Inquiry, the International Association of Genocide Scholars, human rights groups including ones in Israel, and more.
Pro-Palestine groups the Scottish Palestinian Society and Scotland for Palestine say Scotland has continued to play an active role in the suffering being inflicted on Palestinians.
They blame a clear lack of will from the Scottish government to honour the BDS vote as well as the failure of opposition parties to effectively hold the SNP to account.
The Scottish Palestinian Society said: “Three years today, Israel, the occupying force, intensified its military operations in Gaza, pounding one of the most populated areas on Earth and announced a ground offensive would follow.
"A few days prior to this, Israel had placed the entire population of Gaza under a 'complete siege', blocking the entry of food, water, medicine, fuel and electricity to Palestinian men, women and children already living in desperate conditions following Israel's suffocating blockade since 2007.
"Since then, Israel has reduced Gaza, a centuries old civilisation to rubble, and has expanded its military campaign to the occupied West Bank and neighbouring nations. The recent images updated on Google Maps lay bare the level of destruction and loss of life in Gaza alone.
“Under international law, the Scottish government has an obligation to stand against genocide, apartheid and occupation. The historic boycott vote gave much hope and was an opportunity for Scotland to help right the wrongs. A year on, it feels more like a footnote, and any challenge to government dealings in relation to Israel has been repeatedly met with near identical convoluted excuses.”
Scotland for Palestine said: “What do the good people of Scotland think about their hard-earned money being used to fund Israeli linked firms? We appeal to you to write to your MSPs to ask what concrete steps they will take to ensure the Scottish government upholds the BDS vote in full and ends our complicity in Israeli crimes. We urge you to keep up the pressure.
"The boycott and sanctions measures available to the Scottish government under devolved powers are similar to the steps it took against Russia, exercising a trade, cultural, and sporting boycott of Israel and could include procurement contracts for the NHS worth millions of pounds.
"From Lord Arthur Balfour, a Scotsman who under the Balfour Declaration paved the way for tens of thousands of Palestinians, both Christians and Muslims to be forcibly removed from their homes to current Scottish government dealings with Israel and complicit businesses, Scotland continues to play a part in what is happening to Palestinians and neighbouring nations.
"As voters, we can and must ensure the Scottish government honours the boycott, divestment and sanctions vote and implements it in full without further delay.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "As one of the first governments to call for a ceasefire, the Scottish Government has been a clear and consistent advocate for peace, justice and human rights in Gaza.
"We have taken the most direct and effective action within our own powers to press for an immediate and lasting resolution and an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people.
“In September 2025, the Scottish Government announced a comprehensive package of economic and humanitarian measures in response to the genocide in Gaza. This included a pause on new awards of public money to defence companies whose products or services products are provided to countries where there is plausible evidence of genocide being committed by that country. This measure was implemented immediately and remains in effect."