 The next item of business is consideration of business motion 10728, in the name of Joe Fitzpatrick, on behalf of the parliamentary bureau, setting out a business programme, which includes changes to the business programme for today. I would ask any member who wishes to speak against the motion to press the request to speak button now, and I call on Joe Fitzpatrick to move motion number 10728. Moved. Many thanks. No member is asked to speak against the motion, therefore I will now put the question to the chamber. The question is that motion number 10728, in the name of Joe Fitzpatrick, be agreed to, are we all agreed? We are, the motion is, therefore, agreed to. The next item of business is topical questions. Question 1, Sandra White. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken in recent situation in Gaza. Minister, Hamza Yousaf. The Scottish Government condemns in the strongest possible terms the escalating cycle of violence, be that rocket attacks or airstrikes in Gaza and Israel, and its disproportionate impact in particular on civilians in Gaza, who the UN estimates make up some 75 per cent of the Palestinian dead. We are appalled that the death toll now stands at over 1,800, including nearly 400 children. We are pleased to note that a ceasefire announced last night, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops reported this morning, and a call for meaningful peace talks, which we hope will lead to a lasting ceasefire start as soon as possible. It was announced on 30 July that the Scottish Government is providing £500,000 in humanity and aid in addition to the UK contribution to help people affected by the crisis in Gaza. The Scottish Government has also offered to treat casualties requiring specialist care as a result of the conflict here in Scottish hospitals. We call for an immediate lifting of the blockade in Gaza, which we believe to be tantamount to collective punishment. Since the conflict started, the Scottish Government has written to the Prime Minister on 25 July, the Home Secretary on 18 July and the Foreign Secretary on 9 July to ask the UK to take concrete action to make meaningful progress to a lasting peace and that it plays its part in international refugee settlement programmes in which the Scottish Government is happy to play its part. The Scottish Government has demonstrated that we cannot and we should not and must not stand idly by while innocent civilians are being killed. I am today on behalf of the Scottish Government calling for an immediate arms embargo to Israel. The UN has said that there is a strong possibility that international law has been violated and the UN Secretary General has described the recent shelling of a school in Raffa as a criminal act. It is imperative that we decipher whether or not UK arms have been used in any violation of international law. Until that has been confirmed, the UK must implement a complete arms embargo to Israel. I thank the minister for that very comprehensive reply and applaud the Scottish Government on what it has been doing in commendum, particularly in the recent announcement that he made. The minister mentioned in his opening remarks regarding the aid that has been sent to Gaza, in particular the medical aid in bringing Palestinian people here for medical treatment and have written to the Westminster Government. Can I ask the minister of any update on that? If the Westminster Government is working with the Scottish Government to aid the people from Gaza to come here to get medical treatment? I thank the member for the question. Yesterday, we spoke to the director of map medical aid for Palestinians, which I know that the member is aware of, an organisation working in Gaza. We spoke to the director in Gaza who are putting together a list of those who are a priority in the need of specialist care. That discussion is going on with the NGO on the ground. The member will appreciate that there is a number of Governments that we have to consult with—of course, the Israeli Government, the Egyptian Government in terms of the RAF, the Palestinian Legislative Authority and, indeed, the UK Government who will be issuing the visas should we agree to offer them specialist care. I have to say that the UK Government, in previous cases, where we have wanted to bring people here for specialist care, has not impeded that and have helped in that regard. I am sure that, because of the priority and the immediacy of the need of this case, I am sure that they would also be willing to assist in that matter. Thank you, minister. I hope that we keep us updated on what is going on. It is imperative that we get the injured people help. Minister, you mentioned 1,800 Palestinians have been killed over 9,000 injured—a vast majority of them are children—in the renders pictures that we saw on the television. You have also reiterated Ban Ki-moon in regard to the international law, and those who are responsible should be held to account. The Israelis are responsible, in this particular instance, of 1,800 people being killed. Can I ask the minister if he does agree with Ban Ki-moon and many others that those responsible should be held to account and perhaps be sent before the international criminal court? I thank the member for the question. We have said, be it from the First Minister or myself directly on behalf of the Scottish Government, that we call for an immediate UN investigation into civilian deaths—all civilian deaths. Those who have violated international law must feel the full force of international law and be brought to justice, but that must be on all sides. We have condemned the actions of the Israeli Government in Gaza as heavily disproportionate. Yes, Israel has a right to safety and security. Nobody would tolerate, of course, rockets being fired indiscriminately. Let's not beat around the bush. They are designed and fired indiscriminately to kill, but you cannot ignore the fact that, as the member says, 1,800 have been killed. The majority of them are civilians, children playing on a beach or feeding pigeons in the street or sleeping in a UN shelter. They are not terrorists. They have committed no crime. Therefore, of course, we back UN calls into an international investigation in Scotland to support that. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I, too, welcome the ceasefire and sincerely hope that it holds on this occasion. I also welcome the humanitarian aid offered by the Scottish Government and the UK Government, and I hope that that is able to get to the people who need it most. I think that we must all surely abhor the loss of innocent lives in Israel and Palestine, but at the same time condemn utterly the targeting of UN schools and other facilities, particularly when we now know that the UN has guaranteed that there are no missiles, no weapons and no terrorists occupying those facilities. In one case, minutes before a rocket attack was launched by the Israeli forces. We must also condemn the sheer scale of the loss of civilian lives in that small strip of land that Palestinians inhabit. Does the minister agree that the only way that appalling tragedy will finally end is if the world community backs a secure Israel and a viable Palestinian state, the end of illegal settlements, the dismantling of the separation wall and the restoration of water and fuel supplies to Gaza as soon as possible? I agree entirely with what the member has to say. The UN has said that there is a strong possibility that international laws will be violated. UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has called the shelling of the UN school and Rafa criminal act in a moral outrage. Therefore, it is imperative that UN investigations are international partners and players. We have to show leadership, and that was the tone of the First Minister's letter to the Prime Minister that the UK must show urgency on this matter, international collaboration and leadership that has so far been missing on that. However, I agree with what she says about the way to support peace. We believe in a two-stage solution based on the 67 borders, the dismantling of the separation wall, the removal of illegal settlements and, of course, the lifting of the inhumane and illegitimate blockade of Gaza, which, as the Prime Minister himself has said, I quote, is an open air prison, and therefore no innocent civilian should be living in that prison and that blockade should be lifted. However, I welcome the cross-party support for those principles. We Conservatives abhor the loss of life in Gaza. Does the minister not agree with me that the reports from the UN itself about terrorists in Gaza using UN schools as hide-outs and weapon storages are deeply concerning, and does the minister further agree with me that it is essential that we continue working towards the two-stage solution, but I hope that the minister shares my deepest concern about Hamas' explicit commitment to the destruction of Israel as stated in the founding charter. Minister. I thank the member for his question. I reaffirm our commitment to the two-stage solution, but, as the former foreign secretary, William Hague, made it very clear in a statement earlier this year that the time for the two-stage solution is starting to run out, the more settlements continue to expand into Palestinian land. We, of course, support the two-stage solution, but with that immediacy that is needed in terms of actions. I, of course, agree in terms of Hamas' objectives and I agree with the member in terms of condemning them in every single statement that we have made, all six of them, be it from the First Minister or be it from myself. We have been at pains to stress that rocket attacks on Israel are indiscriminate. They are designed to injure civilians. They are not targeted at all and no country should live with that. However, action, according to international law, must be proportionate. The Israeli Government's actions have been disproportionate and we should stand united in condemnation of that. I think that we have all watched, minister, with this belief night after night on the television, the atrocity after atrocity. We have seen the killing of innocent children and civilians, particularly, as said Professor Ferguson, in regard to UN schools and facilities. The response has been that the Israeli military will investigate. Now, there is a danger, I suppose, when we get into ceasefire territory, which is great to hear. I hope that it leads to lasting peace, that some of this will be forgotten. Can the minister assure me that whatever happens that the Scottish Government, together with the UK Government, hopefully, will continue to pressure the UN to make sure that there is a proper international investigation takes place? Because we cannot allow this to be forgotten. I agree with the member on the horrific scenes that we have all witnessed. I think that every member across the chamber will be horrified by what they have seen. The member is absolutely correct, and I give him an absolute assurance that the Scottish Government will not let this matter go if it goes off our TV screens and away from the sheets in our newspapers. The Scottish Government will stand committed to ensuring and calling for an immediate and independent UN investigation. That was the nature and the tone, again, of the First Minister's letter to the Prime Minister, to assure and to show urgency and leadership on this question that, regardless of who is violated international law, they are brought to justice because at the heart of it that is what is missing in this entire issue has been both compassion and justice. I agree with what the member says, and I give him a firm commitment that the Scottish Government will not be dissuaded and will continue to call for a UN investigation into all civilian deaths. Patrick Harvie. I congratulate the Scottish Government on the very clear stance that it has taken on the horrific events of the last few weeks, and I endorse the call for an arms embargo as well. The minister will be aware that there has also been a call for a wider programme of boycotts, divestment and sanctions targeted at the Israeli Government, a call that has been endorsed by global figures including Desmond Tutu. Some local authorities have acted in Scotland in this respect. Does the Scottish Government support that stance and does it support the call for such a wider programme of boycott, divestment and sanctions? I thank the member for his remarks and for his welcome of the initiatives in terms of the Israel-Gaza violence. The Scottish Government has a policy, it does not have a policy of boycotting, it does not advocate a boycott of Israel. We are not alone in that. He will be aware that Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of the Palestinian legislative authority and the representative of the Palestinian people in the west bank, also does not call for a boycott of Israel. At the same time, the Scottish Government has made it absolutely clear that we do not dictate to cultural institutions, individuals or organisations what they choose or choose not to do. We believe that the reason why we have to have engagement is that every time the Government engages, be it with the Palestinians or the Israelis, we put our concerns forward in the strongest possible terms. Will the minister join me in congratulating my 14-year-old constituent, Robert McEwen, who wrote to me about the plight of Palestinian children? With one quarter of the population of Gaza having been displaced during the conflict and the on-going destruction of homes, schools and hospitals causing widespread devastation, what more can be done to ease the suffering of the Palestinian people, particularly how will the Scottish Government's commitment of humanitarian assistance help to bring about the long-term reconstruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza? I congratulate the constituent, Robert McEwen. I have spoken to many young people and even children who have witnessed the scenes of devastation and destruction in Gaza and have been compelled to do something. I saw my constituency a bake sale being done as I was walking past the street and all the proceeds were going to Gaza, so people have been moved clearly of all ages. In terms of the wider issue, the immediate, of course, humanitarian aid that we have sent, the 500,000 that we have sent to unrough flash appeal will go a long way with other Governments that have put into the pot in terms of immediate assistance, and that is important because that is the priority at the moment. In terms of the longer term, we will continue to work with every single international partner that we currently can to put pressure on the Israeli Government to exert pressure on the Israeli Government to lift the blockade. The blockade is an open-air prison, making Gaza an open-air prison. People are starving, people are dying, a slow death in Gaza, and that is completely and utterly to be condemned and completely and utterly unacceptable. We will continue to make those calls, we will continue to work with the Governments. Whichever Government pursues that aim to ensure that that happens in terms of the wider displacement of people, we have made the offer very early on when the violence escalated. We began to escalate that Scotland is ready to play her part in taking on Palestinian refugees if that will assist in that matter. However, let me give the member the strongest possible commitment that whatever the Scottish Government can do with the powers that it has and in the leadership role that it can play, it will do. Mr Graham. Thank you, Presiding Officer. While I appreciate the comments about UN investigation, there exists the international criminal court. While I appreciate that referrals can either only be made by the UN Security Council, which will be unlikely because of its membership, or by a member's state, given the observational state position for Palestine, it would be possible for Palestine to ratify that treaty and to make that application itself to the ICC, would he encourage that? This Government, very early on into my role in Government, I wrote to the then foreign Secretary William Hague to support the UN vote on Palestinian enhanced status. The United Nations is that. Unfortunately, it fell on deaf ears and the UK decided to abstain on that vote. So we do believe that the political route is the best one. In terms of the Palestinians, whether they pursue the ICC, that is a matter, of course, that the Palestinians have to make and what is best for them and their people. However, we have always supported the right of the Palestinians to have a viable democratic state and the heart of the injustice over the last 60-odd years has been that. Of course, while Israel has the right safety and security, the Palestinians have been denied a viable Palestinian state and anything that helps them to get to that within the two-state solution, within the 67 borders and Jerusalem as a shared capital, then we will do whatever the Palestinians believe is viable and the Israelis believe is viable to get to that state. It is a decision, of course, for the Palestinians to make and, as I say, we support their enhanced status at the United Nations. Thank you. That ends topical questions. The next item of business is a statement by Shona Robison on Glasgow 2014.