Dr Zubir Ahmed, the newly-appointed UK health minister, has stated that members of the Israeli government have “genocidal intent” in Gaza. The comments were made in an interview with Holyrood magazine conducted before his appointment in a recent reshuffle following Angela Rayner's resignation.
Dr Ahmed, MP for Glasgow South West, described the situation in Gaza as “unconscionable” and “horrendous,” adding that he never expected to see such actions from a “so-called western democracy.” He noted that some Israeli government members have been indicted by the International Criminal Court, calling it an “unprecedented diplomatic position.”
The UK Government has been cautious about labelling the crisis in Gaza as genocide, despite calls from activists and Scottish First Minister John Swinney. Dr Ahmed, a respected surgeon, revealed he had planned to be in Gaza with Medical Aid for Palestinians just before last year's election, but the Rafah crossing closure prevented his trip.
Expressing a sense of powerlessness, Dr Ahmed said: “There’s not a singular military solution that the British Government can enact to stop this… I am relatively powerless in this conflict.” He stressed that he still strives to make a difference, despite feeling limited in his ability to effect change.
