The SNP's deputy leader Mhairi Black today urged ministers to condemn mass graves at bombed out hospitals in Gaza as war crimes.
Ms Black told the Commons: “Two years ago when mass graves were discovered in Ukraine, this House united in condemnation and rightly treated this graves as evidence of war crimes, which Russia must be made to answer for.
“Yesterday, Palestinian officials uncovered two mass graves outside the bombed hospitals in Gaza. These graves also constitute as war crimes don’t they?”
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden replied: “Well of course we would expect the democratic government of Israel to investigate any allegations of misconduct and that is exactly what they do, and it is exactly what the Foreign Secretary and the Prime Minister urge them to do.
“But I find it quite extraordinary that she seeks to draw parallels between the legitimate war of self defence of Israel and the conduct of Russia.”
Ms Black replied: "Three hundred bodies, including the elderly and the injured some of which had been stripped naked, mutilated, with their hands tied behind their backs.
"The UK's own arms policy states that if there is even a risk that war crimes may be taking place then that is reason enough to halt the sale of arms.
"So given all we know why is the Prime Minister yet to do so?"
Mr Dowden was standing at Prime Minister's Questions today while Rishi Sunak is on a visit to Germany and Poland.
Under Commons protocol Ms Black as deputy party leader stood in for leader Stephen Flynn to quiz the deputy prime minister.
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