What the row over Angus Robertson's Israeli meeting tells us about SNP fractures

The external affairs secretary has since apologised. He said the meeting earlier this month should have been “strictly limited to the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the appalling loss of life in the region”, and further invites would not be accepted.

It comes after Ms Grudsky posted on X, saying the two countries were “looking forward to co-operating in the fields of technology, culture and renewable energy”.

Why has there been such a backlash? Firstly, this is an area that understandably attracts very strong feelings.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its intense military campaign following the brutal October 7 attack by Hamas. Both Israel and Hamas have been accused of war crimes.

Many on the political left have had a close interest in Palestine for a long time. Labour suffered public fractures over its response to the ongoing war, and gradually shifted its position to call for an urgent ceasefire.

The SNP took a strong stance from the outset, and caused trouble for Labour by tabling votes in Westminster. In the eyes of some, Mr Robertson’s meeting will have undermined this.

There was also a personal element involving Humza Yousaf, the former first minister. His in-laws were trapped in Gaza for four weeks - a horrific experience that took a visible toll on Mr Yousaf and his wife, Nadia El-Nakla.

The latter, an SNP councillor, took part in talks with First Minister John Swinney over the weekend. She said she "would expect this to result in no future meetings with Israel while the unacceptable killing of innocent civilians continues and while there remains an ICC arrest warrant for war crimes being sought for Binyamin Netanyahu".

Of course, UK and Scottish ministers regularly meet with officials from states they do not support. But the strength of feeling around Gaza is unique.

The Scottish Government’s initial communications also probably didn’t help. A four-sentence statement on August 12 talked of “areas of mutual interest, including culture, renewable energy, and engaging the country’s respective diasporas” before mentioning Gaza.

Mr Robertson said he had not considered quitting over the row. “No, I haven’t because I think it was right to communicate the message that we did,” he told the BBC.

“But I have reflected very strongly on the impact that it has created and the impression that was created, which is why I issued the apology yesterday. I most certainly did not want to create an impression that there was a normalisation of relations between the Scottish Government and the Israeli government when there is not.”

He is facing a motion of censure at the coming SNP conference, and at least some of his internal critics are unlikely to feel reassured. In a letter to Mr Swinney, Christine Grahame, an MSP since 1999, wrote: “I have long considered AR a luxury the front bench does not need. He is now, in my view, a liability.”

Mr Swinney, however, was aware of the meeting and has defended it. So those criticising Mr Robertson should perhaps take it up with the First Minister.