IN the early 1980s several Scottish local authorities made solemn declarations that they were "nuclear-free zones". While residents of places like Argyll and Bute might have found comfort in knowing their council had no intention of acquiring its own nuclear deterrent, these declarations were, in reality, purely symbolic. This comes to mind as I observe the recent coverage of the fallout from the meeting between Cabinet Secretary Angus Robertson and an Israeli diplomat ("‘A liability’: SNP MSP blasts ‘poor judgment’ of Robertson", The Herald, August 20).
The violence and deaths in Israel and Gaza since the Hamas attacks on October 7, followed by Israel's ruthless response, are an ongoing tragedy; every effort should be made to bring about a just peace in the region. However, Mr Robertson’s intervention has temporarily provided a lighter note. The Cabinet Secretary, exhibiting his customary air of self-importance, has asserted that the meeting does not "represent a normalisation of relations between the Israeli and Scottish governments”.
One might suspect he would have preferred to withdraw the Scottish Ambassador to Israel, but lacking such an option, he resorted to the diplomatic approach pioneered by Nicola Sturgeon in her meeting with Boris Johnson in July 2019: "You will find no photographs of me smiling about meeting the Israelis," he says. Despite its self-designation as the Scottish Government, Mr Robertson is, in fact, part of a devolved administration. Fo.