Pro-indy politicians at loggerheads over Israel’s deputy ambassador visit

Back to Scotland, where there appears to be trouble in Holyrood’s progressive paradise. The Scottish government’s Culture Secretary Angus Robertson has received strong backlash after appearing in a photo with Daniela Grudsky, the deputy ambassador of Israel to the UK. It transpires that the Scottish government minister met with Grudsky to discuss ‘culture, renewable energy and engaging with the country’s respective diasporas’. A Scottish government spokesperson added that the discussion ’emphasised the Scottish Government’s continued work with Police Scotland to protect Scotland’s faith communities and tackle all hate crimes, including antisemitism’. But Robertson’s meeting has ruffled feathers – particularly with the SNP’s former coalition partners.

First slamming the party of government for holding a ‘secret meeting‘ – the event took place on 8 August before a government readout was circulated on 12 August – the Scottish Greens have called on the Nats to ‘apologise for this underhand attempt to build closer ties with Israel’. But that wasn’t enough for the eco-zealots, and today Patrick Harvie’s barmy army have now taken to Twitter to slate the nationalists for the meet. Co-leader Lorna Slater slammed the encounter as a ‘disgrace‘, while Ross Greer MSP fumed on social media: ‘Three hundred days into Israel inflicting a genocide on the Palestinian people and the SNP are talking to their government about energy and cultural cooperation. Absolutely shameful and bordering on complicity.’ Er, right…

And it appears that certain SNP politicians are not particularly chuffed by the visit either. Aberdeen Central MSP Kevin Stewart quote tweeted the image shared by Grudsky, writing: ‘I hope Angus Robertson also demanded an immediate ceasefire, castigated the IDF for bombing hospitals and schools and told you that Israel should comply with all of the UN resolutions that have been passed over for decades.’ His colleague Elena Whitham reposted the image with a forlorn-looking emoji, while a number of SNP supporters have responded to the picture with screenshots of their cancelled memberships. Crikey.

A Scottish government spokesperson told Mr S that it ‘has been consistently clear that an immediate and sustained ceasefire by all sides is required’ and added that ‘the Cabinet Secretary made this position directly and explicitly clear to the Deputy Ambassador of Israel. Agreeing to meet foreign diplomats visiting Scotland provides the opportunity to express the Scottish Government’s position on international issues. The Scottish Government continues to support a two-state solution.’

Meanwhile an SNP spokesperson said that it 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’. The party added: ‘Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary has a duty to engage on an international level.’ Not that the eco-activists appear to care much about that. Gone, it seems, are the days of the SNP-Green love-in…