MPs acknowledge link between Israeli-Palestinian conflict and rising antisemitism in Britain

The motion affirmed “that antisemitism has no place in campaigns of solidarity with Palestinians” and emphasised that protests against governments and their policies should continue while “ensuring this avoids spilling over into group-blame or racist stereotyping”.

MPs said they wanted to make a clear distinction between the Jewish community and those responsible for deciding Israeli government policy.

By Thursday morning the motion had been signed by 26 SNP MPs, Conservative Peter Bottomley, and Wes Streeting, Luciana Berger, Mark Durkan and Margaret Ritchie from Labour.

During a House of Commons session on Wednesday, Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell said the government was not complacent about antisemitism in the country.

John Mann, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Antisemitism, said 15 Scottish MPs had last week attended a briefing run by his group. Mr Mann said it was clear that “good will clearly exists” among MPs on the issue and called for the Scottish government to emulate the UK administration’s efforts to fund security at Jewish schools.

Kirsten Oswald, SNP MP for East Renfrewshire in Glasgow, said she had discussed the “very good inter-community relations and positive support from Police Scotland” in her constituency, which is home to the largest number of Scottish Jews.