Scotland-based Dana Petroleum, a subsidiary of South Korea’s state-owned KNOC, is under pressure to quit the Israeli-led illegal consortium it is part of, which is seeking to “pillage” Palestinian offshore gas.
Grangemouth Labour MP, Brian Leishman, asked the Foreign Secretary in Parliament on Tuesday:
Does the Foreign Secretary share my concern that the British company, Dana Petroleum, is involved in a consortium that has been granted licences for oil exploration in Palestinian waters off the coast of the occupied Gaza strip? Does he agree that it is illegal and amounts to the war crime of pillage? What does he intend to do to challenge this illegal action by a British-based company?
In response, Stephen Doughty MP, Minister of State (Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan), said that the issue was important. He added that the UK recognises Palestine as a state with territorial sea rights and stated that any UK company must comply with international law.
Oil off the coast of Palestine belongs to Palestine.
Any company involved in illegal oil exploration there should be punished for doing so. pic.twitter.com/GK6Jhhxy05
— Brian Leishman (@BrianLeishmanMP) September 1, 2026
Scotland company should follow Eni
According to the BDS Movement, Italian energy giant Eni withdrew from the ‘doomed’ Israeli consortium in March 2026, partly because of massive global pressure. It is urging Dana Petroleum to follow suit.
The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign said:
Dana Petroleum’s continued participation in this consortium is a violation of international law and a huge financial and reputational risk to both the company and its parent, the public sector company KNOC.
Following the exchange in the Commons, the International Centre for Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) challenged Doughty, asking whether he could move the UK government from words to action.
The group said his statement that he “expects” UK firms to follow international law was not enough. BP and Dana Petroleum were already involved in what the ICJP called “unlawful pillage” of Palestinian gas off the coast of Gaza.
Can @SDoughtyMP move the UK from empty words to action? Saying he “expects” UK firms to follow international law is hollow when UK-tied BP & Dana Petroleum are already knee-deep in unlawful pillage of Palestinian gas off Gaza. Take action and ban them! https://t.co/TWhFCr2Fhi
— ICJP (@ICJPalestine) September 2, 2026
The ICJP has called on the government to ban the companies from doing so.
Featured image via BBC
By The Canary
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