By Burak Bir
LONDON (AA) - Scottish lawmakers have urged the British government to suspend its trade agreement with Israel after new figures showed exports rose amid Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Trade in goods and services between the UK and Israel increased by 3.7% – or £218 million ($286 million) – to £6.2 billion ($8.1 billion) between June 2024 and June 2025 compared to the previous 12-month period, according to figures released Friday by the Department for Business and Trade.
UK exports to Israel rose by 10.5%, while imports dropped by 4.6%, the data showed.
In response, the Scottish National Party (SNP) said it was “long overdue” for the UK to suspend its trade and partnership deal with Israel. The Scottish Greens called on Westminster to follow the Scottish Parliament in adopting a full boycott.
In September, the Scottish Parliament voted for a full boycott of Israel after an amendment put forward by the Scottish Greens during a vote on recognizing the state of Palestine.
"The SNP has repeatedly called on the UK Labour government to withdraw from the UK-Israel Free Trade Agreement amid the ongoing genocide being committed in Gaza," SNP Middle East spokesperson Brendan O'Hara was quoted by Scottish daily The National as saying.
He added that the UK should follow Ireland’s lead and end the import of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
"This action is long overdue and I urge Westminster to act," said O'Hara.
Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer said that the "war crimes and genocide committed by the Israeli regime are some of the most sickening abuses of human rights in my lifetime."
"There can be no business as usual with genocide – only boycotts, divestments and sanctions," he added.
According to the data, the UK’s top exports to Israel included medicinal and pharmaceutical products, cars, mechanical power generators, beverages and tobacco, and railway equipment.
The top five imports from Israel were mineral manufactures, vegetables and fruit, plastics in primary forms, toilet and cleansing products, and scientific instruments.
Israel has killed close to 69,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 170,000 others in attacks in Gaza since October 2023.