After “completely unacceptable” social media posts about the conflict in Gaza, SNP MSP John Mason has been stripped of the party whip, the BBC reports.
Mr Mason’s suspension comes after he argued on X that the country’s actions in Gaza did not amount to “genocide”.
Mason posted: “If Israel wanted to commit genocide, they would have killed ten times as many.”
In response, a spokesperson for the SNP Chief Whip said: “To flippantly dismiss the death of more than 40,000 Palestinians is completely unacceptable.”
“There can be no room in the SNP for this kind of intolerance.”
The spokesperson added the SNP Group would meet to discuss the matter, with a recommendation of a fixed period suspension.
Mr Mason said he was “disappointed by the decision”.
The withdrawal of the whip means Mr Mason is effectively expelled from the SNP. He will sit as an independent MSP until the whip is restored.
Following the move, the Glasgow Shettleston MSP posted a statement on Facebook, outlining his desire for peace in the region.
The statement acknowledged “too many” lives had been lost and that “many people feel that Israel has moved from a position of self-defence to seeking revenge.”
However, Mr Mason emphasised that he does “not believe that Israel has tried to commit, has committed, or is committing genocide.”
“They certainly have the ability to kill many more Palestinians than they have done. That is not to say that the loss of life already is not too many.
“And we should remember that it is Iran and Hamas who have stated that they want Israel wiped off the map… that sounds more like an intention of genocide than anything Israel has said or done.”
The move comes just days after Angus Robertson, the party’s External Affairs Secretary, was pictured standing alongside Israel’s Deputy Ambassador to the UK, Daniela Grudsky.
Many SNP figures have criticised Israel’s conduct in the Middle East and the diplomatic encounter sparked an internal backlash.
Former minister Kevin Stewart branded the meeting a mistake.
Posting on X, the Aberdeen Central MSP said: “I hope Angus Robertson also demanded an immediate ceasefire, castigated the IDF for bombing hospitals and schools and told you that Israel should comply with all of the UN Resolutions that have been passed over decades”.
A spokesperson for the SNP said Mr Robertson had “reiterated the Scottish government’s position in calling for an immediate ceasefire by all sides in Gaza”.
They added that the external affairs secretary had pushed for “the unconditional release of all hostages and the opening of safe routes to allow more humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza.”
John Swinney posted a statement acknowledging that some felt a meeting was “not appropriate”. However, he stood by the decision to accept the Israeli request.
The first minister explained that he saw the meeting as an opportunity to convey the Scottish government’s “consistent position on the killing and suffering of innocent civilians in the region.”
Mr Mason also met with Ms Grudsky. He said they had a “useful discussion about what Israel hopes to achieve in Gaza.”
Mason added: “As UK learned in Ireland, to achieve peace we must talk to each other…including to people we disagree with.”
