Scottish First Minister: I understand Jewish community fears over family in Israel

Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf has said the fact that his wife’s family live in Gaza has left him able to “understand better” the fears the Jewish community have during times of conflict for their own relatives in Israel.

The leader of the SNP made the observation after meeting the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (SCoJeC) including Senior Rabbi Moshe Rubin and SCoJeC director Ephraim Borowski on May 19th, where he also visited Giffnock Newton Mearns synagogue.

Following the meeting it was confirmed:“The First Minister spoke frankly about his wife’s fears for her family in Gaza and said he therefore understood all the better the fears of members of the Jewish Community for their family and friends in Israel.”

Former justice secretary Yousaf had made known his wife’s anguish over the safety of her brother, his wife and their three children in a May 2021 tweet.

He wrote at the time: “Wife has been in floods of tears all evening. Her brother lives in Gaza with his wife & three young children. He tells us it’s raining rockets.

“As a parent, he feels helpless, they cannot leave as they are under blockade. All we can do is pray and hope they are alive in the morning.”

In his meeting with Senior Rabbi Moshe Rubin and SCoJeC director Ephraim Borowski. Yousaf, the MSP for Glasgow Pollock, also restated his commitment to fighting antisemitism “wherever and whenever it appears”.

In a statement, he added: “I have long considered myself a friend of the Jewish community in Scotland, and it was wonderful seeing friends I have known for a very long time such as Ephraim Borowski and Rabbi Rubin. 

“We spoke about a number of issues, first and foremost the importance of tackling antisemitism wherever and whenever it appears. 

“In the fight against antisemitism, the Jewish community in Scotland should be in no doubt that they have an ally in me as First Minister. 

“I reaffirmed my absolute commitment that the Scottish Government will continue to engage with the Jewish community on our collective aim of stamping out antisemitism, prejudice, and hate crime, which have no place in Scotland.”