Israel dispute over party conference: SNP accused of “naivety”

The current motion by Scots Asians for Independence was squeezed into the end of the first day of the SNP conference in Edinburgh amid fears that protests could overshadow Westminster party leader Stephen Flynn's keynote speech on Saturday.

Former MP Sandra White told the conference that her party had to listen to the criticism.

She said: “I have been in Gaza, I have been in the West Bank, I have been in the hospitals and I have been in the schools and I have seen how the Palestinian people are treated – not just since October 7, but for 76 years.

“We and the Scottish National Party should have nothing to do with this regime.

Former SNP MP Sandra White. (Image: Colin Mearns)

“We talk about diplomacy and meeting with these people – I was asked to meet with them.

“I really couldn't believe the naivety of our party, which thought that the Israelis would not use this photo opportunity … to put themselves in a good light.

“That is a criticism that I think needs to be raised – the naivety of believing that it would not be used against us, against Scotland.”

The dispute has dogged the party in recent weeks, with First Minister John Swinney booed by a pro-Palestinian protester over the meeting during an appearance at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Mr Robertson apologised for the meeting and acknowledged that the meeting should have been limited to calling for an immediate ceasefire.

He also acknowledged that the meeting should have been limited to calling for a ceasefire rather than discussing trade and cultural issues.

The Scottish government announced that future meetings with Israeli diplomats would be refused.

SNP activist Qasim Hanif made the motion, calling on his party to put pressure on the British government to end arms sales to Israel.

“Conference, let me make it very clear that Scotland and our SNP cannot have a bilateral relationship with any party or genocidal state,” he said.

“If we support an apartheid state, we are complicit in its crimes.

“An SNP government must immediately put pressure on governments around the world, including the British government, to initiate an immediate ceasefire and cessation of all hostilities.

“The Scottish Government must put pressure on the UK Government to end all arms sales and ensure that no arms from Scotland are sold to Israel.”

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Glasgow-Shettleston MP John Mason was also stripped of his parliamentary seat after responding to a tweet by Ms White which said: “If Israel wanted to commit genocide they would have killed ten times as many people.”

Following Mr Mason's comments, Ms White responded to X: “Appalling, absolutely appalling.”

“The SNP must take immediate action, strip you of your party power and punish you.”

The comments were described as “completely unacceptable” by the party, with former Westminster leader Ian Blackford among those criticising.

After the abolition of the caucus, he also said that future meetings with Israel should continue. He explained: “If we only met with people we agreed with, that would be a sad state of affairs. And I think it is definitely Angus Robertson's job to meet people from all over the world.”

Following the backlash, the First Minister also held talks with the head of the Palestinian mission in the UK last week.

To X he wrote: “As First Minister of Scotland, I will never hesitate to express my support for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages and the recognition of a sovereign and viable Palestinian state within the framework of a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace.”