The Scottish government also calls for an end to all arms shipments to Israel and a two-state solution.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
The Scottish government said it will no longer meet with Israeli officials until Israel makes “real progress towards peace.”
External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson issued a statement apologizing for meeting with Israeli envoy Daniela Grudsky.
Although the topic of the meeting was intended to be rising antisemitism, Robertson said that he took the opportunity to address the Scottish government’s position on the war in Gaza.
He wrote, “My view was that given the Israeli UK Deputy Ambassador had requested a meeting it was an opportunity to express the Scottish Government’s clear and unwavering position on the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and I did exactly that.”
He added, “No one intended that this meeting be presented as legitimatising the actions of the Israeli government in Gaza. The Scottish Government has been consistent in our unequivocal condemnation of the atrocities we have witnessed in Gaza.”
Robertson was concerned that even a meeting in which he voiced opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza would nonetheless be seen as representing “normalisation of relations between the Israeli and Scottish Governments.”
He said that instead of discussing the issue of antisemitism which was the original topic of the meeting,”it would have been better to ensure that the meeting was strictly limited to the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the appalling loss of life in the region. I apologise for the fact that this did not happen.”
Robertson said that, going forward, the Scottish government will not communicate with Israeli officials and that “it would not be appropriate to accept any invitation for a further meeting.”
He declared that the Scottish government would not accept any normalization of relations with Israel “until such time as real progress has been made towards peace, unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance is provided and Israel cooperates fully with its international obligations on the investigation of genocide and war crimes.”
Robertson concluded by stating the Scottish government supports an end to all arms shipments to Israel and a two-state solution.