The First Minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf, spoke earlier this week at a discussion in the UK council and suggested that his country should offer refuge to Palestinian refugees from Gaza. He stated, "Scotland is ready to be the first country in the UK to offer security and refuge to those caught up in these terrible attacks."

Humza, whose wife is of Palestinian descent and has family in Gaza, criticized Israel's military actions in the ongoing conflict. He said, "Collective punishment, as we see in Gaza, can never be justified. The 2.2 million innocent civilians cannot bear the consequences of Hamas's actions."

Humza Yousaf - I have concerns & so should Mi5 🧐

- Prior to becoming involved in Scottish politics, he was an active member of an organization called Islamic Relief, where he had the opportunity to connect with various individuals in the hare core Islamic community, globally.… pic.twitter.com/Nhwr3OPvYk

— 🇬🇧RonEnglish🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🌹 (@RonEng1ish) October 19, 2023

The Scottish leader also talked about the willingness of people in Scotland and across the UK to welcome refugees from various countries in the past, including Syria and Ukraine. He emphasized the need to do so again, sharing a personal connection: "My brother-in-law is a doctor in Gaza. When we can reach him by phone, he tells us about the dire situation there. Hospitals are running out of medical equipment, and doctors and nurses face incredibly difficult decisions."

Despite the First Minister's readiness to accept refugees in Scotland, it's worth noting that this may not be the policy of the entire United Kingdom.

These statements come at a time when the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, visited Israel. During his meeting with President Isaac Herzog, Sunak condemned Hamas's actions as terrorism and expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself and ensure the safe return of abducted individuals. He said, "You have gone through indescribable suffering, a barbaric act of terrorism, and this atrocity should be called by its name - this is an act of terrorism carried out by the brutal terrorist organization Hamas."

Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf complained that Scotland was too white.

So now he wants to turn Scotland into a refugee camp for Gazans. pic.twitter.com/L4VxG6k5DL

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) October 17, 2023

Sunak also emphasized the importance of humanitarian access for Palestinian civilians and welcomed Britain's commitment to provide additional aid to the region. He stressed the need to support those in need and acknowledged the right of people to protect their lives. He added, "Palestinians are victims of Hamas' actions. It is important that we continue to provide humanitarian access to civilians."

According to President Herzog, Sunak arrived in Israel "at its darkest hour". He went on to say that "we will overcome and win, and this will be our best hour. The way the citizens of Israel rose up to fight after the terrible attack, after the shock and trauma, with enormous pain that we carry with us every hour."