Scotland’s External Affairs Secretary, Angus Robertson, has apologized for holding a meeting with Israel’s deputy ambassador, Daniela Grudsky, which he believes was misinterpreted as a normalization of relations between the two countries. Robertson met with Grudsky two weeks ago to discuss the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the “appalling loss of life” in the region. However, his meeting was criticized for being too narrow in focus and for not fully expressing the Scottish Government’s condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Robertson acknowledged that the meeting was seen by many as legitimizing Israel’s government, which he denied was the intention. He apologized for not ensuring that the meeting was strictly limited to the issue of the ceasefire and the loss of life in Gaza, and stated that further meeting invitations with the Israeli government would not be accepted. The Scottish Government’s position remains that it does not support normalizing relations with the Israeli government until real progress is made towards peace, unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance is provided, and Israel cooperates fully with international obligations on investigations of genocide and war crimes.
The meeting sparked a backlash, including from some members of the SNP. SNP MSP John Mason, who had initially supported the decision to hold the meeting, was stripped of his whip after making comments on Twitter that were deemed offensive. Mason’s tweet suggested that Israel had not committed genocide because they had not killed ten times as many people, which was criticized as minimizing the extent of Israel’s actions. Mason defended his comments, stating that he was trying to make the point that Israel felt threatened and under pressure, but others saw his comments as offensive and inconsiderate.
Angus Robertson (Image via Getty)
SNP public finance minister Ivan McKee condemned Mason’s comments as “deeply offensive” and called on him to “educate himself.” The SNP’s Dalkeith branch has reportedly submitted a motion of censure against Robertson, who is due to speak at the party’s conference next month. The controversy has also led to criticism from other SNP members, including MSP Ruth Maguire, who expressed anger, hurt, and embarrassment that a Scottish Government Cabinet secretary had allowed himself to appear to legitimize Israel’s actions.
The controversy highlights the complex and sensitive issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Scottish Government’s approach to dealing with it. While the Scottish Government has consistently condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, some critics argue that holding a meeting with an Israeli diplomat could be seen as legitimizing their government. The controversy also raises questions about the limits of diplomatic engagement and the need for clear communication to avoid misunderstandings. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the Scottish Government will respond to the criticism and how they will approach future diplomatic efforts.
