HIGHLAND Council has voted unanimously in favour of a ceasefire in Gaza.
During a full council meeting on Friday, all councillors present voted in favour of a motion calling for a “immediate and permanent” ceasefire.
Conservative members of the council were absent during the vote.
It comes after a petition launched by campaign group Highland-Palestine calling on councillors to back a ceasefire garnered more than 500 signatures.
The initial motion called for a "bilateral ceasefire at the earliest opportunity".
However, SNP councillor Sarah Fanet's proposal to amend the motion to include the words "immediate and permanent ceasefire" went uncontested and was therefore adopted in the final wording.
The final motion also noted the council’s horror at “the excessive loss of life in Gaza since the Israeli attack on it” as well as condemning Hamas’s attacks on Israel on October 7.
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It came after protesters gathered outside Highland Council's headquarters to demand councillors back the ceasefire motion.
"I am delighted that this call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire was passed unanimously with full support from the whole chamber,” said Scottish Greens councillor Chris Ballance, who seconded the motion.
“It reflects the horror with which we all see the heart-rending scenes caused by the extreme right-wing Israeli government”.
The Scottish Greens’ candidate in Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross at the upcoming General Election, Anne Thomas, added that the UK Government should also be calling for a ceasefire.
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"I'm really pleased that Highland councillors have listened to their constituents and passed a strong motion,” she added.
“People across the Highlands are appalled by the situation.
“There has been very strong support for demonstrations in Inverness, Avoch, Fort William and Ullapool and on the doorstep many people are expressing disbelief that the UK Government is not calling for an immediate ceasefire too".
It comes after Israel confirmed plans to expand its military operation inside Rafah, where more than one million Palestinians are thought to be sheltering after being displaced by Israeli attacks elsewhere in Gaza.
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