NADIA El-Nakla delivered an emotional thank you to pro-Palestinian marchers on Armistice Day insisting her family in Gaza feel “less alone” with their backing.
The Dundee SNP councillor – whose family remain in the Gaza strip with “no way out” – said her relatives feel “completely abandoned” by the world but were comforted by the hundreds of thousands of people marching in favour of a ceasefire this weekend.
Police say 300,000 people marched through central London calling for an end to violence in the Middle East.
El-Nakla – who is the wife of Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf – also used her speech to condemn Home Secretary Suella Braverman who has been blamed for emboldening far-right activists that attacked police close to the Cenotaph.
In a passionate message played on the stage screen in London, El-Nakla said: “Thank you all for coming out today to show your solidarity with the people of Palestine.
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“My family are stuck in Gaza with no way out and they feel completely abandoned by the world and let down, but when they see you marching in the streets it fills them with hope, and they need hope.
“But what they need more than hope is a ceasefire. There needs to be an end to the constant barrage of bombing on the Gaza strip. We need to stop seeing our children murdered on the screen.”
El-Nakla added that the march in London for Palestine was a “peaceful resistance” as she hit out at Braverman for “hijacking” the movement.
In an explosive Times column last week, Braverman accused the police of “playing favourites” with protesters in allowing a pro-Palestinian march to go ahead on Armistice Day.
El-Nakla went on: “Today you’re in the streets to show your discontent for any government that does not ask for a ceasefire. You are not on the streets for anything other than a peaceful resistance because we are a peaceful resistance. We need an end to the occupation, we need a free Palestine, but we need a ceasefire more.
“We will not have anyone, Suella Braverman, hijacking our peaceful resistance. You will not have our cause, you will not cause divides within our community.
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“We are not here for hate, we are here for love. Our love and our compassion and our empathy is why we have taken to the streets to ask for a ceasefire now.
“The killing must stop and there must be a peaceful resolution. From my family to yours, every single one of you, a heartfelt thank you because we feel less alone when you are standing shoulder to shoulder with us.
“March on and be part of that peaceful resistance.”
El-Nakla’s parents – who got trapped in Gaza while visiting family – returned home to Scotland just over a week ago but Yousaf said they remain in “significant distress”.
Yousaf has now called for Braverman to be sacked by Rishi Sunak after previously suggesting she should resign her post.
Keir Starmer has accused her of “demeaning her office”, adding that “few people in public life” had recently “done more to whip up division”.
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