Scotland appends conferences with Israel
Date
8/22/2024 7:33:32 AM
(MENAFN) Scotland has announced the suspension of all official meetings with Israeli representatives until tangible progress is made towards peace in Gaza. This decision comes in the wake of controversy surrounding a private meeting between Scottish External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson and an Israeli diplomat earlier this month.
Robertson, who met with Israel’s Deputy Ambassador to the UK, Daniela Grudsky Ekstein, has faced criticism for this engagement. In a statement, Robertson clarified that the meeting, which was requested by Ekstein, was intended to communicate Scotland’s firm stance on the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. He emphasized that the meeting should not be interpreted as a sign of normalized relations between Scotland and Israel or as an endorsement of Israeli policies in the region.
“No one intended that this meeting be presented as legitimizing the actions of the Israeli government in Gaza,” Robertson said. He reiterated Scotland’s consistent condemnation of the violence in Gaza and underscored that future meetings with Israeli officials would be inappropriate until there is substantive progress towards peace.
The meeting’s secrecy, revealed only after a social media post by Ekstein, has further fueled the backlash against Robertson. Critics, including some within the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP), have demanded his suspension and labeled him a liability for the party.
The UK government, which Scotland is a part of, has also called for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israeli forces, aligning with broader international efforts to de-escalate the conflict in Gaza.
This move by the Scottish government reflects growing tensions and sensitivities surrounding diplomatic interactions related to the ongoing crisis in Gaza and highlights the complexities of international relations amidst such conflicts.
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