John Swinney: Minister met Israeli diplomat to call for ceasefire

Angus Robertson's meeting with an Israeli diplomat was "necessary" to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, First Minister John Swinney has said.

Elena Whitham MSP, a former Scottish Government minister, and ex-SNP MP Angus MacNeil are amongst those to criticise the meeting between Robertson, who is Scotland's Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Secretary, and deputy ambassador Daniela Grudsky.

Meanwhile, Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer accused the SNP government of taking a "shamelessly two-faced approach" to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Thousands of people have been killed since violence escalated late last year.

Almost 40,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in the Israeli offensive on Gaza since it began in October last year, according to Gaza's health ministry, which is run by Hamas.

The military action began after Hamas-led attackers killed around 1,200 people in Israel on 7 October, with more than 250 people taken as hostages.

Relatives of former first minister Humza Yousaf - who condemned the Hamas terror attack - were initially caught up in the conflict and he has called for an investigation into "potential war crimes" by Israeli forces.

The Scottish Government has called for a ceasefire.

But Robertson's meeting with Grudsky in Edinburgh last week provoked criticism from some within the SNP, with Whitham sharing a post about it with a 'sad face' emoji and Argyll and Bute councillor Julie McKenzie saying: "Not in my name."

Former SNP MSP Sandra White called for an emergency motion to be tabled at the party’s conference at the end of the month, saying: "I want to know was this approved by cabinet?"

MacNeil, who was expelled from the SNP before losing his seat in the general election, called the move "shameful".

The comments came after Grudsky shared a picture of herself and Robertson, saying they had "discussed the unique commonalities" between Israel and Scotland and "emphasised the urgent need" to free Israeli hostages.

Now Swinney has said the meeting took place to ensure Robertson could "express the Scottish Government's clear and unwavering position on the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza".

He stated: "The Scottish Government received the meeting request and accepted on the basis it would provide an opportunity to convey our consistent position on the killing and suffering of innocent civilians in the region.

"I understand why some believe a face-to-face meeting was not appropriate, however, I thought it necessary to outline our long-standing position on an immediate ceasefire directly, and explicitly, to one of Israel's representatives in the UK.

"As first minister and SNP leader, I will never hold back in expressing support for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, an end to UK arms being sent to Israel, and the recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state within a two-state solution."

Swinney's comments follow an earlier statement by the Scottish Government on the matter, which said that Robertson and Grudsky "discussed areas of mutual interest, including culture, renewable energy, and engaging the country’s respective diasporas".

The government said: "Following the criminal and far-right acts we have seen in parts of England and Northern Ireland, the cabinet secretary emphasised the Scottish Government's continued work with Police Scotland to protect Scotland's faith communities and tackle all hate crimes, including antisemitism, head on.

"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."