The Scottish National Party (SNP) has issued a sharp call for the British government to immediately recognise the State of Palestine and end all arms sales to Israel, warning that continued inaction amounts to complicity in the ongoing massacre in Gaza.

Speaking following French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent comments in London, where he declared that recognising Palestine is “the only path to peace”, SNP spokesperson for Middle Eastern affairs Brendan O’Hara pressed Westminster to stop “making excuses” and align with growing international support for Palestinian statehood.

“If the UK government had a shred of condemnation and courage, it would act,” said O’Hara. He urged the Labour-led government to begin the week with two decisive steps: permanently halting arms sales to Israel and formally recognising Palestine. “Macron has made it clear he’s moving towards recognition, and he’s pushing the UK to follow,” O’Hara stated. “Keir Starmer must join that momentum without delay. Failing to act sends a message of indifference to ethnic cleansing and ongoing war crimes in Gaza.”

The SNP noted that 144 UN member states, including Ireland, Spain, and Norway, have already recognised Palestine. While UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has reiterated Britain’s commitment to the two-state solution, he refused to provide a timeline for recognition.

O’Hara warned that words without action are meaningless: “Those who truly believe in a two-state solution must demonstrate it through immediate recognition. Otherwise, their rhetoric is nothing more than political theatre.”