Angela Constance has defended John Swinney attending the state banquet for US President Donald Trump at Windsor Castle last night.
The Justice Secretary was asked this morning to respond to a post on social media by the SNP MP Chris Law who said that anyone who was sitting at last night's banquet dinner with President Trump was conceding it is acceptable to support genocide in Gaza,.
Mr Law later deleted the post on X.
Ms Constance was asked by BBC Radio Scotland if she agreed with Mr Law.
She said: "No, there are two separate issues. The Scottish Government's position on the suffering the genocide in Gaza is very, very clear, and we are playing our part to step up and call for justice, call for an end to that suffering and doing practical endeavours in terms of it.
"It's only this week that we're seeing children that have been hurt and injured coming to Scotland, and that's through the work of our health secretary and education secretary.
"But people in Scotland also expect our first minister to be representing Scotland at an international level, and that's in the interests of all of us."
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Mr Swinney was the only First Minister of the three UK devolved governments to accept the invitation to the banquet.
The Northern Ireland first minister Michelle O’Neill, of Sinn Fein, and the Labour Welsh first minister Eluned Morgan both refused to attend.
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey also declined an invitation saying he wanted to send a message to the US President about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. President Trump has been broadly supportive of Israel.
Mr Swinney’s attended the event after courting warm relations with the Trump administration with a view to securing a tariff deal for Scotch whisky.
The First Minister last week secured an unprecedented 50-minute audience with Mr Trump in the Oval Office.
However, the approach has provoked unease within his own party where he is already under considerable pressure among members over his independence strategy.
Mr Swinney has previously described Israel's actions in Gaza as "genocide" - a position welcomed within the SNP.
But in the summer Mr Swinney was attacked by senior SNP figures for committing £180,000 in public cash to “support” a golf tournament at one of Trump’s Scottish courses.
Hannah Bardell, a former SNP MP, said many in the party would feel “uncomfortable” at the decision to divert public funding in a way that appeared to be a clear attempt to win Trump’s approval.
Nicola Sturgeon’s former chief of staff, Liz Lloyd, also criticised the way the sponsorship issue had been handled.
But Mr Swinney defended his actions, as well as his attempts to strengthen ties with Mr Trump, arguing it was in Scotland’s best interests.
The Northern Ireland First Minister defended her decision not to accept the invitation to the banquet, saying she was taking a “principled stand” in response to America’s role in Israel’s war in Gaza.
She has been criticised by her deputy, Emma Little-Pengelly, of the Democratic Unionist Party, attended the event.
She attended the event last night and described it as an opportunity for people in Northern Ireland “to have their voice heard”.
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