Amnesty International latest to pressure John Swinney to do more to oppose occupation and atrocities.
An international human rights charity has told First Minister John Swinney his government “can do more” to hold Israel accountable for its occupation of Palestinian Territories.
As SNP conference kicks off, Amnesty International have written to the party’s leader demanding that his government recognise its own obligations following the recent advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice that Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is unlawful.
A letter, as reported by The National, has been sent by the charity’s Scotland director Neil Cowan, condemning the atrocities being carried out in Gaza.
He said a recent meeting between Foreign Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson and Daniela Grudsky, the Deputy Ambassador for Israel to the UK, was disappointing.
The meeting only came to light after the Deputy Ambassador posted about it on social media.
Amnesty have now said Mr Swinney must ensure greater transparency and accountability in the Scottish Government’s international activity and conduct a review of all of Scotland’s diplomatic, political and economic ties with Israel.
Mr Cowan said: "I note your decision to suspend any further engagement with Israel following the meeting, and also note the Cabinet Secretary’s subsequent statement.
“However, I would urge you to now make a broader assessment of whether the Scottish Government is doing all it can to ensure that Scotland is in no way contributing to the continuing crisis in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
“Israel is accused of very serious breaches of international law, including war crimes.
“It is not good enough that the public and others became aware of a meeting between the Scottish Government’s External Affairs Secretary and Ms Grudsky only because she posted about it on social media.
“As a government seeking to champion human rights, which has also publicly condemned the atrocities being carried out by Israel in Gaza, warm words are not enough. Accountability and action in these areas is urgently needed.
“For as long as the bombardment of Gaza, racist apartheid and illegal occupation continue, the Scottish Government must confirm that it has no intention of strengthening its ties with Israel and that it will use every lever available to it to increase international accountability for Israel’s actions.”
Mr Swinney has previously claimed Mr Robertson only met the Israeli UK Deputy Ambassador to express the Scottish Government's clear and unwavering position on the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
In a statement, he wrote on X/Twitter: “The Scottish Government received the meeting request and 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.
“I understand why some believe a face-to-face meeting was not appropriate, however, I thought it necessary to outline our long-standing position on an immediate ceasefire directly, and explicitly, to one of Israel's representatives in the UK.
“As First Minister and SNP Leader, I will never hold back in expressing support for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, an end to UK arms being sent to Israel, and the recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state within a two-state solution.”
However, a Scottish Government spokesperson had previously said that Mr Robertson and the representative of the Israeli government had “discussed areas of mutual interest, including culture, renewable energy and engaging the country’s respective diasporas”.
