Israel’s ambassador to the UK, Ron Prosor, should be expelled from Britain until Israel “shows it is not above international law”, according to members of the Scottish Parliament.
A session of Holyrood’s Public Petitions Committee has urged the UK government to have Mr Prosor removed, following pressure from the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
But foreign policy matters remain under Westminster’s jurisdiction, and the Scottish government said it was “not minded” to support the call for Mr Prosor’s expulsion.
Four of the committee’s five MSPs also belong to the Scottish parliamentary group on Palestine, and declared an interest.
They voted last week to write to the Scottish government, asking it to put pressure on Westminster.
But a Scottish government spokesman said: “We are not minded to support its call.
“We support a stable and secure state of Israel. We believe that the prospect for long-term peace in the Middle East is best served by a two-state solution, and urge all sides to engage to find that peaceful way forward.”
Lior Ben Dor of the Israeli Embassy, said: “It is disappointing that a small minority within the Scottish parliament have chosen to demonise Israel for a war needed to protect its citizens.
“They campaign under the illusion that they are helping the people of Gaza, but rather they absolve the despotic terrorist regime of Hamas.”
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