Former SNP minister critical of Scottish Government’s meeting with Israeli ambassador

Former SNP minister Elena Whitham has expressed disappointment after the Scottish Government met with Israel’s deputy ambassador.  

External affairs secretary Angus Robertson met with Daniela Grudsky in Edinburgh last week in a move which has already drawn criticism from the Scottish Greens. 

Responding to a picture of Robertson and Grudsky tweeted by the deputy ambassador, Whitham, the former drugs minister, tweeted a ‘sad face’ emoji. 

 In reply to the same tweet, former transport minister Kevin Stewart wrote: “I hope @AngusRobertson also demanded an immediate ceasefire, castigated the IDF for bombing hospitals & schools & told you that Israel should comply with all of the UN Resolutions that have been passed over decades.”  

Details of the meeting, which took place on 8 August, were released on Monday through a Scottish Government press release.  

It prompted Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer to accuse the SNP of a “shameless two-faced approach” to the issue of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Greer said the Scottish Government “publicly condemn Israel's war crimes” but then hold “secret meetings” with the Israeli government. 

Following the meeting, the Scottish Government said Robertson had assured the ambassador his government was committed to tackling antisemitism in Scotland. He also called for an immediate ceasefire to the conflict in Gaza.  

A government spokesperson said: “Mr Robertson reiterated the Scottish Government’s position in calling for an immediate ceasefire by all sides in Gaza, the unconditional release of all hostages and the opening of safe routes to allow more humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza.” 

The Scottish Government have repeatedly called for ceasefire in Gaza with First Minister John Swinney writing to the UK Government in May, urging it to follow in the steps of Spain, Norway and Ireland by recognising a Palestinian state.

Former first minister Humza Yousaf has also advocated for the ceasing of weapons exports to Israel, tweeting “Stop sending arms to Israel” in reply to a tweet by the foreign secretary David Lammy on X.