DOCUMENTS released after a lengthy dispute with The Ferret reveal the full details of what was discussed between a former top Government minister and Israel's deputy ambassador.
Angus Robertson, the then external affairs and culture secretary, met Israeli deputy ambassador to the UK, Daniela Grudsky in August 2024.
The "secret meeting" was criticised at the time, being described by the Greens, who went on to beat Robertson in an election contest, as an "underhand attempt to build closer ties with Israel”.
Much of what was actually said has been kept secret until now, but an initial readout from the Scottish Government said that the pair had discussed "areas of mutual interest, including culture, renewable energy, and engaging the country’s respective diasporas”.
Now, after successfully appealing to the Information Commissioner, investigative outlet The Ferret has obtained the full minutes of the meeting, revealing Grudsky had touted the idea of NHS Scotland using Israeli technology.
According to the official record, the Israeli embassy believed there was “potential for cooperation” between the two countries, “especially around climate change and renewable energy, bringing Israel’s world-leading technology to NHS Scotland, and promoting more tourism to Scotland from Israel”.
The diplomat also said the embassy wanted to “lay the ground” for a another visit to Scotland by then Israeli ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, “likely in early 2025”. This came after a planned visit by Hotovely in June 2024 had been cancelled because of security concerns.
Robertson can be seen as responding that Scottish Government would “consider all these issues”.
The former Edinburgh Central MSP also said that "cooperation between Scots and Israelis was vital".
This comes despite Israel's genocidal war in Gaza, which the Scottish Government had condemned.
The Greens had previously used the meeting to accuse the SNP of having a “shameless two-faced approach" on Gaza.
In the meeting Robertson did speak about the genocide in Gaza, saying that an immediate ceasefire was necessary to allow humanitarian aid into the city, and he expressed concern over the civilian death toll.
“There was strong concern in Scotland of the horrific impact of the full military might of an industrialised, developed nation being brought to bear in an urban space, which affected the Scottish public’s views,” Robertson is noted as saying.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government’s consistent and unwavering position on the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza was made clear during the meeting. There has been no further Ministerial engagement with the Government of Israel since.
“The Scottish Government initially withheld some of the information requested in line with exemptions set out in legislation.”
The meeting minutes were released after the Scottish Information Commissioner, David Hamilton, ruled that Scottish Government ministers had failed to demonstrate how the release of the information would impact the effective conduct of public affairs.
The full documents released to The Ferret can be found here.
