THE Scottish Government has been challenged to explain its relationship with Israel after it called the country a “critical friend” in a secret meeting last year.
It came despite ministers despite publicly denouncing the atrocities Israel has carried out amid the genocide in Gaza.
The details were revealed by The Ferret and the Sunday National after a months-long FoI battle.
Green MSP Ross Greer has tabled a written question asking if the [[Scottish Government]] would still describe Scotland as a critical friend of Israel, adding SNP ministers have “let themselves down” over the lack of transparency on the issue.
In August last year, it was revealed that External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson had met the Israeli ambassador Daniela Grudsky and that the [[Scottish Government]] had tried to set up an earlier meeting with First Minister John Swinney and the ambassador while talking itself up as a “critical friend” of Israel.
Following a 10-month Freedom of Information battle, The Ferret was able to reveal that the Scottish Government had taken the lead from the Israeli government over the lack of transparency from the meeting’s minutes between Robertson and Grudsky.
Greer has now challenged the Scottish Government to clarify its relationship with Israel after it “fought hard” to hide the details of the meeting.
The MSP for West Scotland said the SNP Government has said the “right things” in public but has failed to take meaningful action, like scrapping public funding for companies which sell arms to Israel.
“It’s depressing but not surprising that the Scottish Government fought so hard to hide the details of their meeting with the Israeli embassy,” Greer said.
“The images of Palestinian children starving to death or blown apart are horrific beyond description.
“To suggest that our country could be any sort of ‘friend’ of the apartheid regime responsible for these crimes is frankly offensive.
“The [[Scottish Government]] has said the right things in public about Israel’s genocidal assault on Palestine, but they have let themselves down with what they’ve said directly to the Israelis, and with their own actions, such as continued public funding for those who sell arms to Israel.”
Following public anger around the meeting last year, Swinney said that it had been “accepted on the basis it would provide an opportunity to convey our consistent position on the killing and suffering of innocent civilians in the region”.
However, the Scottish Government had published a statement prior saying that the attendees had also discussed “areas of mutual interest, including culture, renewable energy, and engaging the country’s respective diasporas”.
In the redacted minutes much of the section on “Israel/Scotland relations” was blacked out, The Ferret reported earlier this month.
“The public deserve absolute clarity on what was said at this meeting,” Greer said.
“Does our government really believe that Scotland should be a ‘critical friend’ to Israel as it commits genocide? If so, who made that decision? If that is no longer the position, when did it change, and what happened in the last 10 months that was somehow worse than the first year of this genocide?”
Following the backlash, Robertson faced calls for him to resign from his ministerial role from SNP members and grassroots campaigners.
Greer added that it's not just the public that need to know what happened as he said: “Many people in the SNP have stood with us in defence of the Palestinian cause for decades.
“I know how deeply upset they were by this meeting. They deserve more answers and less evasion from their leadership.”
In response to Greer's comment, Robertson said the Scottish Government is “unequivocal” that it would not be appropriate to meet with the Israeli Government until progress is made towards peace.
He said: “More than 60,000 people have been killed in Gaza, a truly horrific figure – and many more are now being left to starve at the hands of the Israeli Government.
“Civilians who queue to access what little humanitarian aid is permitted to enter Gaza are frequently shot at and killed by Israeli Defence Forces. We are strongly focused on doing whatever we can to help the people of Gaza and the First Minister discussed the issue with President Trump when he met him this week.
“We have repeatedly called for the recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state within a two-state solution but recognition should not be conditional and must be backed by sanctions against Israel if the violence continues.
“As the rhetoric of Israeli politicians has become increasingly extreme in recent months, the Scottish Government is unequivocal that it would not be appropriate to meet with the Israeli Government.
“This will remain our position until real progress has been made towards peace and Israel cooperates fully with its international obligations on the investigation of genocide and war crimes.”
