SNP members have said they hope John Swinney "will take appropriate reparative action" after secret minutes of a meeting between MSP Angus Robertson and an Israeli ambassador were revealed.
Trade unionists in the SNP have raised alarm after an exclusive report revealed the secret minutes of a meeting between Robertson and ambassador Daniela Grudsky after a 10-month Freedom of Information battle.
It came to light that the Scottish Government had called Israel a "critical friend", despite publicly denouncing the atrocities it has carried out amid the genocide in Gaza.
Simon Barrow, national secretary of the [[SNP]] Trade Union Group (the party’s largest affiliate body), said "no regime involved in trying to eradicate the people of Gaza" could be considered “critical friend” by Scotland.
“For many months, trade unionists across Scotland have spoken and acted in strong solidarity with the Palestinian people, with all those in Israel who are opposing their government’s war crimes, and against the genocide in Gaza," Barrow said.
He added: “SNP trade unionists stand with them. No regime involved in trying to eradicate the people of Gaza and deny statehood, justice and dignity to the Palestinians can possibly be considered a 'critical friend' by Scotland, and we reject any notion of excuse towards, appeasement of, or complicity with the horrors taking place in real time.
“We hope that the First Minister will make all that abundantly clear, and will take appropriate reparative action in the light of the disclosures by The National, and its commendable and responsible journalism and commentary on Israel-Palestine, [[Gaza]] and the Middle East.”
Among the details revealed in the Sunday National by The Ferret were that an unnamed Scottish Government official had said: “Transparency is obviously a good thing, but it takes up such a lot of our time.”
While Swinney has publicly referenced the “killing and suffering of civilians”, the minutes suggest that Robertson adopted a more reserved tone with Grudsky, noting that “every effort must be taken to reduce civilian casualties”.
In a “profound apology” issued to delegates at the SNP conference on September 1 last year, after heavy criticism from within the party, Robertson said one of the Scottish Government’s priorities for the meeting was to express its support for an “end of UK arms being sent to Israel”.
There is no mention of this in the minutes released.
The SNP have been approached for comment.
