THE SNP are set to discuss the suspension of MSP John Mason next month after he had the whip removed for making comments about Gaza.
Mason published a series of posts on Twitter/X which appeared to deny a genocide was taking place in Gaza.
He wrote in August: “If Israel wanted to commit genocide, they would have killed ten times as many.”
It was in response to former SNP MSP Sandra White, who said: “We know what Israelis hope to achieve they are already committing genocide in Gaza,” adding that “innocent children are being massacred”.
In a separate tweet, Mason said: “There is no genocide. If Israel wanted to commit genocide, they would have killed many many more.”
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He had the whip withdrawn with “immediate effect,” pending internal parliamentary group "due process".
Mason has now said in a tweet the SNP member conduct committee will be meeting on Saturday, October 12 to discuss the matter, by which time he will have been suspended from the party for seven weeks.
He posted: “Pleased to hear that the SNP's Member Conduct Committee will meet on Saturday 12th October to discuss the complaint against me. (By which time I will have been suspended from the Party for 7 weeks.) Looking forward to taking part in that meeting."
Pleased to hear that the SNP's Member Conduct Committee will meet on Saturday 12th October to discuss the complaint against me. (By which time I will have been suspended from the Party for 7 weeks.) Looking forward to taking part in that meeting.
— John Mason (@JohnMasonMSP) September 29, 2024
He added in a comment that he would be aiming to have a “rational discussion” about his remarks.
The National has approached the SNP for comment.
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Mason’s suspension came as both he and Culture Secretary Angus Robertson faced intense scrutiny after holding separate meetings with the deputy Israeli ambassador to the UK.
Mason tweeted he had a “useful discussion” with Daniela Grudsky on what Israel hopes to achieve in Gaza”.
Former SNP MP Ian Blackford said of the post: “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.”
Following outrage over Robertson’s meeting, the Scottish Government said it would not meet with Israel again until “real progress has been made towards peace”.
More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel's military offensive in Gaza since October 7.
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