THE SNP Westminster leader has called on the UK Government to "come clean" over what they have been told by their lawyers following reports that advice given concluded Israel has breached international humanitarian law in Gaza.
In the leaked recording, Commons Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns disclosed that she believes the Government has received advice that Israel is flouting the international humanitarian law.
Kearns said she was convinced the Government had concluded that Israel was not demonstrating a commitment to the law and “transparency at this point is paramount”.
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Stephen Flynn MP, the SNP's Westminster leader, has said the UK government must "come clean" on what they have been told, and commit to ending arm sales to Israel immediately.
Flynn said: "The UK government is on the wrong side of history. Their failure to call for an immediate ceasefire, and their refusal to end arm sales to Israel, will have future generations looking back in horror.
"The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary owe it to the public and to the high offices they currently hold to be honest about whether they have received advice that Israel has breached international humanitarian law.
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"If reports are to be believed, and the UK government has continued to supply arms and intelligence to Israel whilst knowing they were in breach of international humanitarian law, then the position of both would be untenable.
"100,000 men, women and children have been killed or injured in this conflict so far - and with the people of Gaza on the brink of famine, the UK government has refused to act.
"How many more innocent civilians must suffer before Westminster finally acts?"
The Foreign Office has said advice on Israel’s compliance with international law was kept under review, but it would remain confidential.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We keep advice on Israel’s adherence to international humanitarian law under review and ministers act in accordance with that advice, for example when considering export licences.
“The content of the Government’s advice is confidential.”
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Meanwhile, a cross-party group of more than 50 MPs and peers, from MP Brendan O’Hara, SNP foreign affairs spokesman, called on the UK to end its pause in funding the UN’s humanitarian relief agency in Palestine.
The UK was among a group of countries which halted funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) amid allegations from Israel that some staff members were involved in the October 7 atrocities carried out by Hamas.
In a letter to Cameron, the MPs and peers called for clarity about why the UK decided to suspend funding and why interim reports from investigations into UNRWA had not been enough to resume the supply of money.
The UK Government has said no funding is due from Britain to UNRWA until the end of April and it is awaiting the findings of both a review of the agency by former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna and a UN investigation into the October 7 claims.
The letter, signed by colleagues from all main parties, said funding should be restored “without delay”.
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