THE SNP are facing calls to apologise after a Scottish Government minister held a “secret meeting” with an Israeli diplomat.
External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson met with Daniela Grudsky Ekstein, Israel’s deputy ambassador to the UK on Thursday – but details of the meeting were kept secret until Monday.
The National understands the four-day delay in publicising the meeting came at the request of the Israeli embassy, which cited security concerns.
It is unusual for there to be such a long delay between a meeting with a government minister and the details being made public, even if there are security concerns.
When Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy (below) in Downing Street last month, the details were made public in advance.
Downing Street also made public the details of a meeting between Starmer and the Sultan of Oman the same day it took place earlier this month.
The Scottish Greens have said the SNP must “apologise for this underhand attempt to build closer ties with Israel”.
The pair met at St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh on August 8 and an official Scottish Government readout from the meeting said they discussed “areas of mutual interest, including culture, renewable energy, and engaging the country’s respective diasporas”.
They were also said to have spoken about far-right rioting in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with Robertson highlighting “the Scottish Government’s continued work with Police Scotland to protect Scotland’s faith communities and tackle all hate crimes, including antisemitism, head on”.
Robertson also reiterated the Scottish Government’s calls for a ceasefire in Palestine, its support for the release of all hostages and allowing more aid into Gaza.
But the secrecy surrounding the meeting has sparked anger from the SNP’s former partners in government, the Scottish Greens.
They accused said the meeting was indicative of a “shameless two-faced approach from the SNP” on Gaza.
Greens MSP Ross Greer (below) said: “They publicly condemn Israel’s war crimes whilst holding secret meetings with its representatives to discuss so-called ‘mutual interests’.
“Angus Robertson wouldn’t dream of meeting representatives of Syria’s murderous Assad regime. Apartheid Israel should be no different.
“The Scottish Greens have repeatedly proposed ways the SNP could turn their strong words into action, using the powers of the Scottish Government to challenge Israel.
“For example, they could ban every business identified by the UN as complicit in the occupation of Palestine from receiving any public grants or contracts here in Scotland. I first made this suggestion months ago, but absolutely no action has been taken despite our repeated requests and those of the Palestinian community.”
Greer said the SNP could not “have it both ways”, adding: “They should apologise for this underhand attempt to build closer ties with Israel at the very same time as it inflicts a horrific slaughter on the Palestinian people.”
A spokesperson for the SNP said: “The SNP has been consistent in calling for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the end of arms sales to Israel, the opening of more humanitarian routes and the recognition of a Palestinian State.
“Scotland's Cabinet Secretary has a duty to engage on an international level and it is right he met with the Deputy Ambassador to outline the Scottish Government's unwavering position of an immediate ceasefire directly with the Israeli Government."
The Scottish Government declined to comment.
