Scottish Government funding for arms companies supplying Israel will be paused, First Minister John Swinney has said.
The Government has been criticised in recent months for continuing to fund companies in Scotland who provide weapons parts to Israel.
The funding, according to ministers, is usually provided for apprenticeships with arms firms.
Speaking on Wednesday as the Palestinian flag flew over Scottish Government buildings in Edinburgh, the First Minister urged the UK Government to recognise the state of Palestine and withdraw from the trade deal with Israel, telling MSPs there is a “prima facie case of genocide in Gaza”.
“Previously, we have provided business grants and investment support to companies involved in the design, production, supply and support for military equipment, technologies and services,” he said.
“We do so because we recognise that defending our country, defending our continent, is a duty of Government – anyone watching the war in Ukraine would, I hope, recognise the reality of the importance of defence.”
But he added: “In recognition of that changed international landscape, the Scottish Government will lift the restriction that we have applied on the use of support for the production of munitions, but in the face of genocide, there can be no business as usual.
“We will pause new awards of public money to arms companies whose products or services are provided to countries where there is plausible evidence of genocide being committed by that country – that will include Israel.”
The pause will cover the Scottish Government itself, the Scottish National Investment Bank and the nation’s enterprise agencies, the First Minister said.
Money already pledged for apprenticeships will be honoured.
Along with the shift on funding for arms companies, the First Minister said 20 children injured in the crisis will be brought to Scotland for medical treatment, while £400,000 will be spent on the creation of a rapidly deployable hospital for use in Gaza.
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