SNP civil war erupts after veteran loses whip over 'utterly abhorrent' Gaza 'genocide' comments

Robertson came under fire from fellow SNP MSPs after meeting with Grudsky in Edinburgh on August 8.

The meeting was described as being in the "mutual interest" of both Scotland and Israel, with Robertson later confirming he reiterated the SNP's support for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Ex-Scottish Minister Emma Roddick, who stepped down from the SNP's frontbench earlier this year, claimed her "heart just sank" when she saw a photo of Robertson meeting Grudsky on social media.

Former coalition colleague Ross Greer, who helped topple Humza Yousaf as the Green Party pulled its support earlier this year, also accused the SNP Government of taking a £two-faced approach£ by publicly condemning the actions of Israel while conducting secret meetings.

Responding to former SNP colleague Sandra White, Mason appeared to add further fuel to the fire.

He wrote: "If Israel wanted to commit genocide, they would have killed ten times as many."

Mason added: "And Israel cannot be considered guilty of genocide either. If they wanted to commit genocide, they could have killed 10 times as many Palestinians as they have. Remember it is Iran/Hamas which wants Israel wiped off the map."

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The 67-year-old, who represented Glasgow East in Westminster between 2008 and 2010, was met with widespread condemnation by SNP colleagues last night.

Ex-SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: "Forty thousand plus dead in Gaza and you tweet this. You are not fit for public office.

"You are an embarrassment and not fit to represent anyone. You glorify killing and murder with your obtuse comment. Just go and do it now."

A spokesperson for the SNP's chief whip confirmed Mason lost the whip earlier today.

"To flippantly dismiss the death of more than 40,000 Palestinians is completely unacceptable," they said.

"There can be no room in the SNP for this kind of intolerance.

"The Chief Whip has today withdrawn the whip from John Mason MSP with immediate effect, pending internal Parliamentary Group due process.

"The SNP Group will now meet to discuss the matter, with a recommendation that the Whip be suspended from John Mason for a fixed period of time because of this utterly abhorrent comment."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched his onslaught against Hamas after the terror group killed 1,200 people and took another 200 hostages in last year's atrocious October 7 attack.

The retaliatory operation has so far resulted in 40,000 Gazans being killed, the Strip's Hamas-run Health Ministry yesterday revealed.

The SNP has been committed to pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza, with Stephen Flynn putting pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to support an amendment to last November's King's Speech.

A total of 38 SNPs voted in favour of the motion, with Flynn claiming: "Israel's response amounts to the collective punishment of the Palestinian people."