PRESTWICK Airport will no longer do business with the Israeli Air Force after hosting a military plane late last year, the Scottish Government has said.
The Ayrshire airport came under fire after playing host to an Israeli military flight which used it as a stopping off point while travelling between America and Beersheba in November.
But the Scottish Government, which owns the site, has said it will no longer do business with the Israeli military after backlash.
A Scottish Government spokesperson told The National: “Glasgow Prestwick Airport operates on a commercial basis and at arms-length from the Scottish Government.
“The Israeli Air Force does not and has never used the airport as a base. It has not visited Prestwick since November 2023 and the airport has since taken the independent decision not to conduct further business with the Israeli Air Force.”
The airport is a commercial enterprise owned by the Scottish Government but operated independently.
READ MORE: Scottish Government 'asking questions' on Prestwick Israeli flight, says Humza Yousaf
The story behind the row
Backlash was sparked in January when it was revealed the airport had played host to an Israeli plane travelling to America.
It had travelled to Dover, Delaware where previous Israeli flights had picked up ammunition for deadly airstrikes.
It came less than a week after the International Court of Justice ruled there was a plausible case that Israel was committing genocide in its assault on Gaza – which has so far killed more than 31,000 Palestinians.
Earlier this month, First Minister Humza Yousaf (above) told The National he was exploring what action the Scottish Government could take to prevent Israeli flights using the airport in the future.
He said: “We’re definitely asking the question because I can understand people’s concern and people’s upset.”
Prestwick has come under fire in the past for its role in supporting so-called rendition flights for the US military between 2004 and 2006.
Rendition flights saw people taken to secret detention sites and allegedly tortured during the “War on Terror”.
A Prestwick Airport spokesperson said: "Glasgow Prestwick Airport operates on a commercial basis and at arms-length from the Scottish Government.
"All operational decisions are taken by the Airport. We can confirm that the Israeli Air Force has not visited Prestwick Airport since November 2023.
"As with any handling request from a customer we carry out an operational review before any decision is taken. We do not expect any further requests from the Israeli Air Force at this time."
The UK Government did not respond to a request for comment.
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