A stable future for Gaza is a distant prospect
On 7 July Israel's defence minister presented the outline of a plan. Israel Katz explained to local journalists that he had instructed the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to prepare what he called a 'humanitarian city', into which about 600,000 Gazans would be moved 'voluntarily'. This 'humanitarian city' would be built on top of the destroyed city of Rafah, in south Gaza, and eventually be home to the entire civilian population of the Strip. Those entering the area would be screened in order to weed out Hamas militants, said Katz, and would not be able to leave once admitted.
With talks ongoing in Doha, a ceasefire in Gaza might be imminent – even a permanent one. This would end a 21-month war, the longest in Israel's history, that has killed at least 58,000 Palestinians according to Gaza's health ministry – a number many experts believe to be a gross undercount. But while the end of the war may be in sight, the proposal from Israel's ministry of defence suggests that a stable, safe future for Gaza is still a distant prospect.
The plan has been met with considerable backlash. Even before the war, Gaza was one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Israel's former prime minister Ehud Olmert has said that the proposal – which would concentrate the population of Gaza into a purpose-built camp in an area the fraction of the size of the enclave – describes a 'concentration camp'. Some of Israel's most respected international law scholars, meanwhile, issued an open letter saying that 'any directive to prepare or advance the establishment of a 'humanitarian city' in Gaza constitutes a manifestly illegal order' and that, if implemented, 'the plan would constitute a series of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and under certain conditions, could amount to the crime of genocide'.
Conditions within the 'city' would not be managed by the IDF, Katz said, though the military would 'provide security from a distance'. This raised the spectre that the proposed camp would be run in much the same way as Gaza's new aid delivery sites: with deadly force. In May, when Israel's full blockade on the Strip was partially lifted, a US-backed organisation called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which was set up with help from the Israeli authorities, began distributing aid to Gazans at just four locations, replacing the 400 aid points previously overseen, in part, by the UN.
The scarcity of the sites not only requires Palestinians to travel long distances to receive food and other aid, but also forces them to stand in fenced-in, chaotic queues with thousands of other desperate people. The IDF patrols these distribution sites and, according to Gaza's health ministry, more than 600 people have been killed by Israeli forces while trying to get aid since May. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says no shootings have taken place in the vicinity of its operations, but an investigation published by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on 27 June revealed IDF officers and soldiers say they have been ordered to fire at 'unarmed crowds' around these sites. 'It's a killing field,' one soldier said. Both Benjamin Netanyahu and Katz called the report 'blood libel'.
Some media outlets have floated the possibility that Katz's proposal is not so much a concrete plan as it is a negotiating tactic, intended to pressure Hamas to bend to Israel's ceasefire demands. Yet Haaretz reported on 14 July that Netanyahu and other government ministers were angered by the IDF's suggestion that the 'humanitarian city' would take up to a year to build and could cost billions. In a cabinet meeting on 13 July, the prime minister reportedly demanded a more efficient plan.
Even if the proposal is a tactic to force Hamas to negotiate, it doesn't seem to be working: at the time of writing, Israel and Hamas are still struggling to reach an agreement. Husam Badran, a senior member of Hamas, has said the camp plans were a 'deliberately obstructive demand' that were impeding ceasefire negotiations. 'This would be an isolated city that resembles a ghetto,' he told the New York Times. 'This is utterly unacceptable, and no Palestinian would agree to this.'
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The broad contours of a ceasefire have already been established in a US proposal: a two-month truce, in which talks to forge a permanent ceasefire would continue. Half of the remaining 50 hostages still in Gaza, including some of the 20 who are thought to still be alive, would be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Yet sticking points beyond the proposed camp in Rafah remain: Israel demands that the much-diminished Hamas agrees to fully disarm and its political leadership is exiled; Hamas wants guarantees that the ceasefire will be made permanent and that Israel will not resume the war after a brief pause.
For all the reported resistance from Hamas in negotiations, critics of Netanyahu have suggested that it is he who is stalling in an effort to placate the far-right ministers within his fragile coalition who oppose any ceasefire at all. There is speculation that the Israeli prime minister wants to drag out talks until 27 July, when Israel's parliament, the Knesset, breaks for summer, and it would become more difficult for ministers to collapse the government. Though Netanyahu travelled to Washington earlier this month, where he was pressured by Donald Trump to agree to a deal, an official told the BBC that the trip itself was to buy time. In the absence of agreeing to a peace-deal and swiftly bringing an end to the war, Netanyahu instead nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
[See also: Gaza diary: Amid the rubble]
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The Herald Scotland
14 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Caregiving parents fear for disabled kids' lives under Medicaid cuts
The formula is covered through Medicaid, a program jointly funded by the federal government and states, which faces severe cuts through President Donald Trump's Republican-backed and recently passed reconciliation package. The law directly impacts nondisabled adults who must get a job or qualify for an exemption in order to maintain Medicaid coverage. But advocates are worried about how vulnerable populations might be harmed as states manage funding shortfalls due to other provisions in the law. Emma Staggs has bilateral vocal cord paralysis that prohibits her from swallowing or sounding out words, chronic lung disease, developmental delays and other daily health struggles. She survived the first months of her life in the intensive care unit after she was born at 1 pound, 9 ounces. In addition to the formula she needs to survive, Medicaid covers a pulse oximeter, oxygen concentrator, oxygen tanks for travel and a heap of other medical equipment in her North Carolina bedroom. The program also pays for in-home health nurses who help her eat and breathe and occupational therapy at a farm that helps her gain strength and dexterity to be able to use her hands. It covered horseback-riding physical therapy that helped her climb stairs this year. The Staggs are on edge. For them, it's no question that the new law could put their ability to cover the cost of their daughter's care in jeopardy. The law slashes the amount of federal money given to states to fund their Medicaid programs, so now states will have to decide which programs to cut. The North Carolina program that funds Emma Staggs's formula, medical equipment, health nurses and occupational therapy is called the Katie Beckett waiver or the Community Alternatives Program for Children. It's a Medicaid waiver that helps families of children who have complex needs and long-term disabilities receive and sustain at-home care so their children do not need to be cared for in an institution. Stacy Staggs is worried that it could end up on the chopping block. "We would have to take out loans, sell the house and move in with my mom," Staggs said. "We would go into medical bankruptcy to keep Emma alive." Officials from North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services have not said whether the waiver will be cut due to reduced Medicaid revenue. James Werner, a spokesperson for the department, said in an email to USA TODAY officials are "reviewing the final legislation to determine its full impact on the state and its residents." "These cuts not only impact the people that rely on them directly but also strain the systems and communities that hold us all together," Werner said. Millions of children and adults with disabilities enrolled in Medicaid rely on the medications, equipment and staff the program covers to stay healthy, survive and be active members in their communities. Without in-home help, and sometimes even with it, family caregivers - frequently mothers - often pick up the slack, switching jobs or leaving their careers behind to care for their kids with special needs. The cuts to Medicaid could exacerbate that reality. For the Staggs family, it's a matter of life and death. "If we get to a place where we're no longer eligible, I can start a timer on how much longer Emma will be alive," Stacy Staggs said. "That's the end of it. It's not abstract. It's not hyperbole. It's the only thing that she can eat. There isn't any substitute." What is Medicaid, who uses it and what's changed? Some states have opted to expand Medicaid to help families pay for items their children with disabilities need that other health insurance companies might not cover, like wheelchairs, car seats and communication devices. There's no other program that comes close to the support Medicaid provides for recipients and their families, said Sara Rosenbaum, a professor of health law and policy at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. "There's no health system recovery from a destroyed Medicaid program," Rosenbaum said. How Trump's tax bill Could cut Medicaid for millions of Americans Nearly half of the 78 million people who were enrolled in Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs at the start of the year were children, according to the federal government. One in 5 children in the United States has special health care needs, and about half of those kids have coverage through Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, according to Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy Center for Children and Families. The Trump administration's Medicaid cuts will leave nearly 12 million people uninsured by 2034, according to a cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office. Another estimate from the Senate Joint Economic Committee Minority says it's closer to 20 million people. The new law increases Medicaid eligibility checks from once a year to twice a year, leading to more paperwork and potentially delayed funding for already overwhelmed families like the Staggs. This goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2027. States with robust Medicaid expansion programs, also known as "optional" enrollments, will also have to roll back supports because they'll receive less money from the federal government to fund them. Medicaid's opponents "just don't understand the program," said Kim Musheno, senior director of Medicaid for the disability advocacy group The Arc. "They just see a price tag," Rosenbaum said. "And the price tag is for people they consider wholly undesirable." 'Attack on rural America' Kentucky governor hits Medicaid cuts in Trump's megabill Supporters of the GOP's plan, including Speaker Mike Johnson, said the federal government needs to slash funding and that Medicaid needs to be more efficient. He also said able-bodied people who don't work and undocumented immigrants should be barred from receiving medical assistance in an interview with CBS News in May. Those who don't work are "taking advantage of the system," he said. "What we're doing is working on fraud, waste and abuse," Johnson said. In-home help is essential for caregiver parents Lindsay Latham, a mother in Virginia, doesn't want to quit the job she loves as director of operations for a lighting company. But she'll likely have to if Medicaid cuts strip her 11-year-old son of in-home care. Her son, Calvin Latham, was born with a brain malformation. Doctors told them he might never walk or talk, and that he'd likely develop epilepsy. He's progressed a lot since then, Latham said, but he still needs help eating, drinking, bathing and getting dressed. Latham said she thought their family's health insurance would cover her son's medical needs. But it didn't cover all of it. Medicaid has picked up the rest of the tab to cover things her and her husband's insurance won't, including his car seat, an adaptive stroller, a speech device, anticonvulsant medications and in-home attendant care to help him get out of bed and ready for school in the mornings, and bathed and back in bed at night. It wasn't easy, Latham said. Her son's Medicaid application was rejected three times before he was enrolled through the Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus Waiver. She's bracing for more red tape with the new requirements that involve more frequent eligibility checks. "To make it harder for people who are working to fill out paperwork to maintain their medical coverage," Latham said. "It's cruel." More pressing, Latham is worried the state will reduce or cut her son's attendant and respite care if the reduced federal match can't support the hours he needs. The state's Medicaid budget is already strapped, she said, and her son receives minimal hours through his Medicaid wavier. Her son is on a waitlist for the state's Developmental Disability Community Living Waiver, also funded through Medicaid, which provides in-home care. It's a long list, she said, and she's been told he might not get off it until he's 30. She's terrified the state will cut or shrink the program even more. "This isn't just an immediate effect on Calvin's life," she said. "This is going to be lifelong." Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's office did not respond to USA TODAY's inquiry about what programs will be eliminated or reduced due to the federal Medicaid cuts. If Medicaid no longer covers her son's attendant care, especially during the summer months when he's out of school, Latham said all of his caregiving duties will fall to her and she'd become a stay-at-home mom. As the breadwinner of the family, she said, that would mean the Lathams won't be able to afford updating their home as their son grows up and starts to need a wheelchair and wheelchair-accessible entryways. "We're not on this because we're trying to play the system," Latham said. "We're on it because we need it. He needs it. He deserves to have a fulfilling, rich life in his community." 'Really a lot at stake' Doctors told Mary Caruso the chances of her having a child with Friedreich's ataxia, a rare genetic disorder that affects the nervous system, were 25%. She didn't have one child with the disease. She had two. "We do play lotto," Caruso joked. Thirty years later, Caruso said her family has finally settled into a routine that includes a rotation of more than a dozen health attendants covered through Connecticut's Community First Choice program, a Medicaid expansion program through the Affordable Care Act. Both of her children - 35-year-old Alexandria Bode and 38-year-old Sam Bode - have jobs and spend time volunteering and participating in various community events with the help of their staff. "We have some amazing people here," Caruso said. "I don't know, honestly, what we would do without them." Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont's office did not respond to USA TODAY's inquiry on whether the state will cut or reduce services for those enrolled in the Community First Choice program. If the state opts to reduce expansion programs because of federal Medicaid cuts, and the Bode siblings lose coverage, Caruso said they'll have to leave their jobs. It would fall to Caruso to help them eat, drink, bathe, dress and perform most other daily activities. "It's hard to really understand how valuable caregivers and these programs are. And you're talking about two people who want to be part of society," Caruso said. "They have a right to be, and they can't do it alone, physically." There is "really a lot at stake," Caruso said. She won't consider ever putting her children in a facility. She'd care for them herself until she died. "But it would not be easy," she said. After working to live on her own, 'Could this mean that I have to move back?' Other family caregivers who recently found respite might find themselves back in a caregiving role if their adult children are kicked off Medicaid. James Rothchild said his daughter was diagnosed with autism when she was 3 years old. It was a "lengthy process" for her to get ready to live on her own, he said, and he wasn't always convinced it would be possible. But Chloe Rothschild, 32, moved out 2 1/2 years ago. To prepare for the move, Chloe Rothschild said she spent more than 10 years practicing various skills like working with her in-home aide staff, staying alone overnight and cooking and cleaning. "I worked really hard to get here," she said. "So, I don't want to go backward." Rothschild said her direct support providers, who are paid through a Medicaid waiver, come by for one to three hours, four to five days a week, to help her cook, clean, shop and organize. "I'm really thriving," she said. "And I'm continuing to make progress and gain skills. Like just this weekend, I'm going out of town for work. And for the first time ever, no one is going with me." Dan Tierney, deputy director of media relations from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's office, said the state is "still reviewing the bill for potential impacts." "But we do not anticipate any major cuts in Ohio as a result of the bill's passage," Tierney wrote in an email to USA TODAY. Rothschild isn't convinced. If Medicaid cuts reduce her hours of support or cut them entirely, she's worried it would lead to skill regression and potentially take away her independence. She wonders: "Could this mean that I have to move back in with my family?" She can't live on her own without in-home help, her father said. "It would be fairly devastating," he said. "It would not be good for our family." 'More pressure on families' Nearly half of US states are on the brink of a caregiving emergency 'It's going to be those of us with disabilities' Emma Staggs will never be able to live independently. Medicaid has funded nearly $4 million of her life-saving care for nearly 12 years, her mother said. That's only for a portion of the services she needs to survive. Her father's private medical insurance pays for the rest. Staggs said she is furious about what the potential loss of Medicaid could mean for her family and others like them. Their fate is in the hands of the state now. "The goal of all of this is less people going forward, and it's going to be those with disabilities and an inability to work in the workforce," she said. She and her family lobbied in Washington, D.C., in the days before the bill passed. They now plan to target their state lawmakers. In the meantime, Staggs has attempted to ration the formula she gets by diluting it with water. Sometimes she gives her daughter Gatorade instead. And she's made an appointment with her daughter's doctor to see if they can try another feeding option or a backlog supply of the formula while they are guaranteed Medicaid. "That's the part that has me in real panic," Staggs said. "When they're talking about an end date to Medicaid, it's like saying how long they're keeping Emma alive." Madeline Mitchell's role covering women and the caregiving economy at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal Ventures and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. Reach Madeline at memitchell@ and @maddiemitch_ on X. Contact Kayla Jimenez at kjimenez@ Follow her on X at @kaylajjimenez.
The National
27 minutes ago
- The National
'Israel killed my brother. Now my No Thanks app has 11 million users'
Ibrahim, a Turkish citizen, after having left Gaza in 2008, had returned to the strip for what was supposed to be a short visit to help out their sister Munira. He never left. 'He was drinking tea on the balcony, and they just bombed an entire square,' Ahmed said. 'I know it in Arabic, what it's called, but it's like a multiple airstrike in a specific area. That's what they do. 'And those bombs murdered around 25 people. Between them, my brother.' It was not the first time Ahmed had lost a loved one; he holds Israel responsible for the death of his sister Basma in 2020. She had fallen ill in Gaza, and needed to be transferred to a hospital in Jerusalem in order to receive the appropriate treatment. But the Israeli authorities did not grant permission for the transfer for more than a month. READ MORE: 'I spent 16 months in Gaza amid Israel's genocide. Here's what I saw' 'My father did everything he could, but they didn't let her go,' Ahmed said. When the papers finally arrived, it was too late. Basma died in the ambulance on her way to the hospital." 'I couldn't handle it in the beginning,' Ahmed said, adding that – as with the death of other loved ones, which has become all too common for people in Gaza – the family had tried to do charitable works in Basma's honour after her passing. Then, after Ibrahim's death, Ahmed said he was 'lost'. 'I started to think about a way to do some charity work for him too.' And then came inspiration. On one trip to the supermarket, Ahmed said he got to thinking about how he could be sure to be avoiding Israeli goods – or goods from firms connected with Israel. 'I looked into a few products and I started to think like, 'oh, is this product on the boycott list or not? Should I start googling them? Should I start searching, do this and this?' 'And then I got the idea: I really wish there was a way just to scan the barcode and [it's] done. Here is the answer. Is it in the boycott or not? So that was the core of the idea.' Two weeks later, Ahmed had created the first version of his app No Thanks, which allows users to scan products' barcodes to learn if the company has links to Israel. Less than two years on, it now has more than 11.5 million users. But the success came with drawbacks in his own life. READ MORE: I'm an Israeli trying to help in Gaza. Now our bank account is at risk Living in Budapest after moving to Hungary on a scholarship in 2018, Ahmed – who is now 26 – was undertaking an internship at a major tech firm when he was called into a meeting. 'They told me: 'Sorry, No Thanks made a lot of noise and we'll have to cancel the contract immediately'. 'They even told me that the CEO of [the firm] had a meeting with the CEO of [another major firm] and they both actually had talked about me,' he added. The Israeli boycott movement has proven controversial internationally, with anti-BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) laws in countries such as Germany and the US. READ MORE: Co-op members vote to remove all Israeli products from shelves Ahmed questioned how supposedly free-market societies could try to prevent people from making free choices with their custom – and raised concerns that any business operating out of Israel would pay taxes that go 'to the IDF and supporting killing innocent people'. 'We are now fighting ideology,' he said. 'They want to kill all of the Palestinians, and we are trying to stop that. 'I say it loud and clear, it is a genocide. It is a massacre, a huge massacre happening in Gaza. 'And after that, these countries are coming to blame me for just making an app.' Amid all the peace talks and international deals, one question remains: where is Gaza in all of this? Don't the people of Gaza deserve peace after more than 600 days of genocide? Don't they deserve even the most basic human rights? If world leaders won't act, then we – as… — Ahmed Bashbash (@AhmedBashbash) June 24, 2025 'The boycotts should be our new lifestyle,' Ahmed went on. 'We should stop supporting the people who are actually just looking for wars, looking for destruction, looking for displacing people. 'And if these companies and brands, whoever, don't actually come to our requirement, then we are simply not going to be your customer. That's it.' The runaway success of the app – 11.5 million downloads is twice the population of Palestine, Ahmed notes – has seen a steady income brought in. However, all of it goes on either supporting the servers required for the app to run, or supporting people in [[Gaza]] directly. But with Israel controlling the flow of goods into the strip, it is getting more and more difficult. 'Prices right now in Gaza, inflation will be an easy word for it,' he said. 'A bag of flour will cost you $600 to $700, just for a bag. 'If I wanted to compare it to last year, when I used to buy tents for people … in a week, we used to give 10 to 20 tents. Now, I cannot afford one tent in an entire week. It's too expensive in Gaza right now.' READ MORE: The key points not being talked about in BBC Gaza documentary review Ahmed still has family in Gaza; though his sister Munira managed to escape to Egypt, his brother Hussian remains. But when he has contact with his brother, Ahmed no longer recognises where they grew up. 'It is now all sand or rubble,' Ahmed said of his birthplace in Gaza City. 'When he [Hussian] sent me a picture, I couldn't actually recognise which area it was – even though I lived there for 19 years. 'I actually played on the street every day, every single day till I couldn't see the ball anymore – we didn't have electricity there, so we used to play in the light of the sun. 'When you see it now, you don't see a place of humanity. You see just a bunch of rubble from a zombie movie or something.' A view of Gaza City after Israel's offensive (Image: DAWOUD ABU ALKAS, REUTERS) For Ahmed, his No Thanks app is 'my peaceful way to protest against what's happening in my country and what happened with my family, brother and sister that I lost'. The app is developed by Ahmed's software firm BashSquare – which he explained came from a quip on his name. 'Bashbash. That's my family name actually,' he said. 'It's kind of a joke that my name is Ahmed Bashbash. 'My math teacher in 9th grade used to make fun of me and call me BashSquared – in Arabic, of course. 'He was my best teacher, so I actually took this nickname that he gave me. In Arabic, Bashbash comes from the word called bashasha, which is the smile.' That smile remains on Ahmed's face, enduring through the shadows of airstrikes, exile, and loss. You can download the No Thanks app for Android and iOS on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
The National
27 minutes ago
- The National
Angus Robertson's secret Israel meeting minutes revealed
ON a warm summer's night last August, John Swinney took to the stage at the Edinburgh International Book Festival for a fireside chat with former Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford. Two of the most seasoned veterans of the devolution era, Swinney and Drakeford talked of the importance of 'collaborative' politics. Then a piercing cry rang through the auditorium. 'Your party is mingling with genocidal deputy ambassadors,' a young woman shouted. The event was swiftly ended, and the protester hustled out. She might well have been disappointed to see the First Minister on stage. Until days before, the man whom she accused of 'mingling' with the Israeli government, Angus Robertson, had been due to appear instead. The photograph of Robertson with the beaming Daniela Grudsky, Israel's deputy ambassador to the UK, had that month rocked the Scottish Government and created a schism within the SNP. READ MORE: 'Time to take action': What it was like at the national Palestine demo in Edinburgh Robertson faced loud calls to quit his role as the Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs. Critics argued the meeting was a 'breach of trust' when Israel stood accused of grave breaches of international law in Gaza, and with its prime minister then under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Israel denies claims it is committing war crimes or perpetrating genocide in Gaza, and rejects the jurisdiction of the ICC, which issued an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu on war crimes charges in November 2024. A year on, despite the intense furore around the meeting, the public still knows little on how it came about or what was discussed. Now The Ferret can shed new light on the affair, revealing details of previously withheld internal emails, WhatsApp chats and partial minutes of the meeting. They show ministers, advisers and officials across Swinney's government were entangled. And we can reveal that while publicly stating that the 'UK is in danger of being complicit in killing innocent civilians', behind the scenes, the Scottish Government tried to set up an earlier meeting with Swinney and the ambassador and was talking itself up as a 'critical friend' of Israel. In response to this story, Robertson told The Ferret that under the 'abhorrent circumstances' Gazans face 'at the hands of the Israeli government', the Scottish Government is 'unequivocal that it would not be appropriate to meet with the Israeli government' until 'real progress has been made towards peace'. Our findings come after a 10-month freedom of information (FoI) battle, which involved challenges to the Scottish Information Commissioner and claims from the Scottish Government that releasing details of the meeting could damage UK-Israeli relations and even be seen as 'antisemitic'. Swinney 'actively sought a meeting' with Israeli ambassador On May 8, 2024, John Swinney took office as Scotland's First Minister. For his predecessor, Humza Yousaf, the Palestinian cause had been close to home – his own parents-in-law had been visiting relatives in Gaza when the Israeli bombardment began in the wake of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1200 people. More than 250 hostages were also taken. Swinney quickly faced criticism over a perceived lack of action on the issue. The Scottish Greens called on the new First Minister 'to demonstrate that Scotland's solidarity with the people of Palestine extends to action, not just words' and, in response, the Government reiterated Yousaf's call for a ceasefire and for the UK Government to ban arms exports to Israel. Swinney followed up with a tweet on May 27, stating that the 'humanitarian catastrophe' in Gaza was 'one of the greatest moral issues of our time'. But secret emails show that just a week later, on June 3, a Scottish Government official emailed the Israeli Embassy, looking to speak to 'someone urgently to make arrangements' for a meeting between Swinney and Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely (below), while she was in Scotland. The embassy's Israel-Scotland affairs officer advised this visit was no longer going ahead because of 'sudden security threats', but that the ambassador was 'eager to meet with the First Minister virtually'. Later that day, the embassy emailed a 'list of attendees' for a meeting which included Hotovely, the embassy's head of civil society Hodaya Avzada, and the Israel Scotland affairs officer. Some other names are redacted. Asked about these exchanges, the Scottish Government said the meeting referenced in the 'list of attendees' did not go ahead and no meetings with representatives of the Israeli government took place before August 8. But Scottish Labour MSP Mercedes Villalba argued this was evidence Swinney's government had 'actively sought a meeting with a representative of a state whose prime minister is now wanted by the ICC for crimes against humanity'. On July 30, a Scottish Government official's phone pinged with a WhatsApp message from embassy official Avzada. 'Hope you're well?' she asked. 'We should get back to you today re DCM [deputy chief of mission] visit,' the official replied. 'Apols for delay.' Discussions had progressed, and a trip to Scotland was being arranged for the deputy ambassador – or DCM – Daniela Grudsky. 'It is next week and the schedule is filling,' Avzada said. Less than two hours later, an official emailed Angus Robertson, copying in Swinney, recommending that he meet with Grudsky – and warning of 'sensitivities' over the Gaza war. Azvada asked via WhatsApp if there was 'any chance we could meet' Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes as well, but was told: 'FM isn't available, so Mr Robertson is the right interlocutor.' 'Transparency takes up so much time' As soon as the meeting was firmed up for August 8, discussions turned to communications management. 'We'd normally issue a short statement for transparency's sake,' the Scottish Government official told Avzada. 'But let me know if you have any security considerations, esp around timing.' It was agreed there would be no announcement of the meeting until the Monday following, August 12. Avzada made sure to double-check that the embassy could issue the tweet that would ultimately ignite the whole controversy, and was told: 'Yeah that's fine.' READ MORE: 55 arrested in Westminster as protests grow over Palestine Action ban The Scottish official then told Avzada: 'You'll be aware we are usually inundated with freedom of information requests. Practically every meeting our ministers have is FOI'd. We redact sensitive information, but the bar is high, and we have to justify it. The FOIs are usually inspired by comms but if we don't issue something, we're criticised for being secretive!' The official added: 'Transparency is obviously a good thing, but it takes up such a lot of our time.' In her official response, Avzada said the embassy did 'not consent' to the release of information about meetings, 'in order to allow the fruitful and open discourse between Israel and the United Kingdom'. This would later be echoed, almost word for word, by the Scottish Government in its reasoning for denying The Ferret's FOI requests. Subsequent emails show that the Scottish Government provided further updates on FOI requests to the Israeli Embassy after the meeting, which reiterated its position that no information should be released. Amnesty International told The Ferret that it appeared the Scottish Government already had 'one eye' on the challenges that requests for transparency would create for them, even before the meeting took place. Meanwhile, Talat Yaqoob, an equality campaigner and researcher who has worked in the Scottish Parliament, said it was 'extraordinary that a foreign government would get any say over what the Scottish public is permitted to know about the work of its own elected officials'. 'Freedom of information law exists to enable accountability – it is not something to attempt to circumvent or over-complicate,' she added. The Scottish Government said it had complied fully with the Scottish Information Commissioner and pointed out that information can be withheld under freedom of information law if it could substantially prejudice relations between the UK and another country. 'Critical friends'? After public anger had erupted around the meeting, Swinney tweeted on August 14 that it had been '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'. But the Scottish Government had already put out a statement saying that the attendees had also discussed 'areas of mutual interest, including culture, renewable energy, and engaging the country's respective diasporas'. In the redacted minutes released to The Ferret, much of the section on 'Israel/Scotland relations' is blacked out. But the minutes do state: 'The Scottish Government's position remained that the Palestinian people had the right to self-determination and that a secure Israel should be able to live in peace and security. There was value in dialogue between Scotland and Israel as critical friends.' While Swinney publicly referenced the 'killing and suffering of civilians', the minutes suggest that Robertson adopted a more reserved tone with Grudsky, noting that 'every effort must be taken to reduce civilian casualties'. MSP Villalba claimed the minutes showed the Scottish Government's private attitude to Israel was 'quite different' to its public stance. She added that her constituents were organising weekly protests against what they see as UK complicity in the war in Gaza. They would be asking whether Robertson still believed Scotland could be 'critical friends' with a country currently facing genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice, Villalba claimed. In a 'profound apology' issued to delegates at the SNP conference on September 1, after heavy criticism from within the party, Robertson said one of the Government's priorities for the meeting was to express its support for an 'end of UK arms being sent to Israel'. But there is no mention of this in the minutes released. Yaqoob said it was a failure of leadership that arms sales do not appear to have been addressed. She said the apparent omission was a 'dereliction of duty' given the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The aftermath At 2.37pm on August 12, the Scottish Government posted about the meeting on its international division's Twitter/X account. Barely anyone noticed – perhaps unsurprising, given the account only has 4500 followers. At 5.36pm, Grudsky posted her own now infamous tweet, complete with the picture of the pair by an art deco fireplace in St Andrew's House. She said they had discussed 'the unique commonalities between' Scotland and Israel and 'emphasised the urgent need to bring back our 115 hostages'. There was no mention of a ceasefire call. 'Looking forward to co-operating in the fields of technology, culture and renewable energy,' Grudsky added. Over the next few days, dissent began to bubble in the SNP ranks. Backbench MSPs Kevin Stewart, Christine Grahame and Emma Roddick all put their heads above the parapet. On August 14, Swinney issued his statement on Twitter/X, but Robertson himself laid low. A Scottish Government official emailed the Edinburgh Book Festival to give 'a quick heads up that FM will now be attending' the event with Drakeford – instead of Robertson. On the morning of Monday, August 19 – with the 'ongoing public controversy' having continued to rage over the weekend – Swinney called Robertson in for a meeting. 'They discussed the history of the issue and noted the public remarks of MSPs, MPs and commentators,' records released to The Ferret reveal. 'They reflected on the need to address the concerns raised by the meeting around the Scottish Government's position on the relationship with the Israeli government. In particular, they noted the need to be more clear that the Scottish Government did not believe that 'normal' relations with the Israeli government were currently possible given the events in Gaza and the position of the ICC.' They also agreed it was time for Robertson to break his silence – and issue his original apology. This was circulated among officials and redrafted by international relations deputy director John Primrose, and Swinney's special adviser, Jack Middleton. In the wake of the controversy, the Government ruled out further meetings with Israeli diplomats until progress has been made in Gaza peace talks. But arms firms supplying Israel continue to receive subsidies from the Scottish Government. It is only thanks to repeated FOI requests from The Ferret and other media outlets that this information has entered the public domain. And there are details of the meeting between Grudsky and Robertson, which remain hidden from public view, including the discussions they held about the other topics which are redacted in the minutes released. 'It is squarely in the public interest to have absolute clarity on whether the cabinet secretary presented a strong challenge to the deputy ambassador over war crimes and violations of international law in Gaza when they met,' said Amnesty's Liz Thomson. 'Just months before that meeting took place, Amnesty asked Robertson for a clear framework on how human rights considerations inform international engagement and raised concerns that the Scottish Government's action wasn't matching its rhetoric. Such guidance is clearly needed to inform all external affairs activity.' Labour's Villalba was more direct. 'We need answers – and we need them now,' she said. READ MORE: RECAP: Activists defy Labour with illegal pro-Palestine T-shirts at Edinburgh demo In a statement provided to The Ferret, Robertson, said: 'Close to 60,000 people have been killed in Gaza [some estimates say the death toll is higher] – many more are now being left to starve at the hands of the Israeli government. 'Civilians who queue to access what little humanitarian aid is permitted to enter Gaza are frequently shot at and killed by Israeli Defence Forces. 'The rhetoric of Israeli politicians has become increasingly extreme in recent months. 'Under such abhorrent circumstances, the Scottish Government is unequivocal that it would not be appropriate to meet with the Israeli government. 'This will remain our position until real progress has been made towards peace and Israel co-operates fully with its international obligations on the investigation of genocide and war crimes.' At the Book Festival that night, Swinney said that devolution had 'strengthened the self-confidence of Scotland'. Over two decades of self-government, Scotland has become more visible on the international stage. But to critics, the Robertson affair has exposed serious gaps in transparency and accountability about how – and with whom – Scotland does diplomacy. The Embassy of Israel in London did not respond to requests for a comment.
