THE SNP’s national secretary has issued a damning statement in a rare intervention after two of the party's parliamentarians met with a top Israeli diplomat.
It comes after the party’s foreign affairs spokesperson in Westminster, Brendan O’Hara, wrote to Angus Robertson expressing his anger after the Culture Secretary met with Israel’s deputy ambassador to the UK, Daniela Grudsky Ekstein.
The meeting, which was not publicised until Grudsky posted about it on social media, has sparked further anger both within the SNP and from the Greens.
In the wake of the backlash, SNP MSP John Mason revealed that he had also met with the Israeli diplomat.
The SNP's national secretary Lorna Finn has now taken to Twitter/X to give her thoughts on the issue.
She said: “Disappointment doesn’t begin to cover how I feel about a minister and backbench MSP from my party meeting Israel’s depute ambassador.
“In the midst of a genocide it is unconscionable and lends legitimacy to the actions of [Benjamin] Netanyahu’s government.
“Regardless of the intent the pictures speak a thousand words. Language and tone used in tweets around what ‘Israel hopes to achieve in Gaza’ is deeply troubling.
“I hope much soul searching is going on today at all levels.”
READ MORE: SNP sacrificed moral high ground on Gaza with Israeli diplomat meeting
SNP MSP for Glasgow Shettleston Mason had written on Twitter/X in response to news of Robertson's meeting: “I also met her last week. Useful discussion on what Israel hopes to achieve in Gaza.
“As UK learned in Ireland, to achieve peace we must talk to each other… including to people we disagree with.”
On Wednesday, we told how John Swinney broke his silence in the wake of criticism on the meeting, which had been kept secret for four days before details were released.
Robertson was said to have reiterated the Scottish Government’s calls for a ceasefire in Palestine.
In a series of tweets, Swinney defended the External Affairs Secretary and said: “I understand why some believe a face-to-face meeting was not appropriate, however, I thought it was 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.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel