SCOTTISH Government ministers are under fire after failing to raise concerns about an Israeli military plane which passed through a state-owned airport.
The National can reveal that the Scottish Government failed to raise the case of an Israeli Air Force jet which landed at and took off from Prestwick Airport late last year.
Relevant ministers did not mention the episode in any correspondence with Prestwick Airport bosses or the UK Government, which authorises foreign military flights to use British airports, according to a response to a Freedom of Information request from The National.
Asked for correspondence between the Transport Secretary or External Affairs Secretary and the Ministry of Defence or the airport itself, the Scottish Government said it “does not hold the information” in question.
Ministers have now been urged to raise the issue with Prestwick Airport – which is operated independently from the Government.
According to publicly available flight data, an Israeli plane numbered IAF680 returned to Prestwick from a US military airbase in Dover, Delaware on November 18. It reportedly then left for Beersheba in Israel.
US arms were sent from Dover to Israel in early October, with the IDF previously confirming the airbase had supplies of “advanced ammunition designed to allow significant strikes
It comes amid mounting concern Israel is perpetrating genocide against Palestinians in its assault on Gaza.
The country stands accused of war crimes at The Hague and even its staunch ally America is losing patience with prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ceaseless bombardment of Gaza.
READ MORE: Pro-Palestine activists target and scale UK Government offices in Edinburgh
The Scottish Greens have raised concerns that “Scottish public assets are being used to enable Israel’s brutal campaign of genocide against the people of Gaza”.
MSP Ross Greer (below) said: “There are still big questions to be answered about why an Israeli military aircraft was allowed to land at Prestwick.
“We must ensure that no Scottish public assets are being used to enable Israel’s brutal campaign of genocide against the people of Gaza.
“I urge the Scottish Government to speak to the management of Prestwick Airport and to use its position as the airport’s owner to prevent this from happening again.
“The airport and the UK Ministry of Defence must urgently clarify what has happened here.”
READ MORE: Protesters occupy Scottish university building over 'investment in Israeli arms'
Kenny MacAskill (below), the deputy leader of the Alba Party, added: “Britain is becoming increasingly complicit in the Israeli genocide.
“There can be no excuse for the Scottish Government in not being explicit in its demands and actions that Scotland is not associated in any way. We require greater transparency and assurance.”
A Prestwick Airport spokesperson said: “Glasgow Prestwick Airport is commercial organisation and cannot comment on the details of specific customers’ aircraft movements.
“All aircraft landing at any aerodrome in the UK (including Glasgow Prestwick Airport) require to have Civil Aviation Authority permission to transit UK airspace or land in the UK.
“Glasgow Prestwick Airport is an important stopover point for over 20 air forces – primarily our own UK Air force, other Nato countries, and very occasionally from some Middle East countries.
“We can confirm that the Israeli Air Force does not and has never used Prestwick Airport as a base and has not visited Prestwick since November 2023.”
The Ministry of Defence said it does not comment on foreign nations’ military aircraft movements.
The Civil Aviation Authority said it does not approve military flights from foreign countries.
The Scottish Government was approached for comment.
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