Humza Yousaf pans Tories using Israel war to attack deal with Greens

Humza Yousaf was asked by Conservative Jackson Carlaw, who as the Eastwood MSP represents Scotland’s largest Jewish areas, to axe the Bute House Agreement over comments made by Greens politician Maggie Chapman.

The Greens MSP had said Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel, which has thrown the region into a state of war, was in retaliation to the ongoing “illegal occupation” of Palestine.

Asked about the call, Yousaf – whose parents-in-law are both in Gaza fearing for their lives – said that Chapman did not speak for the Scottish Government and that linking the situation to Scottish politics was “crass”.

He said: “I have seen the tweet, and Maggie Chapman is responsible for what Maggie Chapman says.

“To somehow equate what is happening in the geo-political situation between Israel and Palestine, to reduce it to an issue about whether the Bute House Agreement can go on or shouldn’t go on, I think is terribly crass.”

The Scottish Greens have since condemned Hamas's attack on Israel while calling for a ceasefire and for an end to the occupation of Palestine. 

Yousaf said the Scottish Government was in favour of a two-state solution and called Hamas’s attacks on Israel “unjustifiable”, adding: “Innocent civilians being killed will not help us towards peace and an innocent Israeli life is worth, of course, the same as an innocent Palestinian life.

“An innocent child getting killed, it doesn’t matter whether they’re Palestinian or Israeli.”

Speaking about his wife Nadia El-Nakla’s parents, who remain in Gaza after travelling there to visit the 92-year-old mother of Yousaf’s father-in-law, the First Minister said his family were trapped.

They have been told by Israeli authorities to leave because “Gaza will effectively be obliterated”, Yousaf said.

“Despite the best efforts of the British Foreign Office, nobody, nobody can guarantee them safe passage anywhere,” he added.

“So I’m in a situation where, frankly, night by night, day by day, we don’t know whether or not my mother-in-law and father-in-law – who have nothing to do, as most Gazans don’t, with Hamas or with any terror attack – whether they will make it through the night or not.”

Humza Yousaf's parents-in-law Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla (Image: PA)

Youasf said he extended his concern to innocent civilians caught up in the conflict.

“I’m worried about my family – there will be many people, including in Scotland’s Jewish community for example, who will be really worried about their family in Israel that have come to harm,” he said.

READ MORE: Gaza under 'complete siege' with no food or fuel as Hamas branded 'animals'

“My thoughts go out to everybody, because innocent civilians have nothing to do with the conflict, they have nothing to do with Hamas terror, have nothing to do with the loss of life and they’re the ones often – innocent people – who are paying the price.”

Yousaf’s brother in-law is a doctor and lives in Gaza with his wife and four young children, the youngest being two months old.

He said he does not know how many Scots have been caught up in the fighting in Israel and Gaza.

The First Minister praised communications with the Foreign Office as “good”, but said it was not yet clear who was in the region and how they have been impacted.

He said: “I’m afraid not yet. I’ve asked both for the situations in terms of any Scottish Israelis that might be affected and impacted and any Scots in Gaza that might be impacted.

“I’ve not got numbers yet but liaison with the Foreign Office, I should say, is good, they’ve been helpful in providing information but once I have that I’m sure we’ll be able to furnish you with the details.”