The Scottish Government has been criticised for working "in-step with the Foreign Office" over a controversial meeting with an Israeli official.

Emails seen by The Ferret reveal that civil servants at Holyrood urged external affairs secretary Angus Robertson to meet with Israel's deputy ambassador Daniela Grudsky after consulting with UK Government officials.

A Scottish Government official had stressed the importance of being "on the same page" as Westminster ahead of the meeting, the emails show.

The meeting, on August 8 last year, prompted criticism from senior SNP and opposition figures after a picture was circulated by Grudsky on social media.

At the time, the late former first minister Alex Salmond said the meeting called into question whether both external affairs secretary Robertson and first minister John Swinney could continue in office.

Commenting on The Ferret's findings, Greens co-leader Lorna Slater said it was "concerning" that Scottish ministers had aligned their foreign policy with Westminster, while Christine Grahame, one of the SNP's longest-serving MSPs, blasted Robertson's "lack of judgment".

The Scottish Government said it was "normal" for officials to consult the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) when ministers are meeting international contacts, "given their central role in UK foreign relations".

The emails were released under freedom of information law. The Scottish Government is still refusing to publish the minutes of the meeting between Robertson and Grudsky despite an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner by The Ferret.

The Scottish Government's international relations team wrote to the FCDO almost a month before the meeting, the emails reveal.

This confirms why people were appalled at Angus Robertson's actions. This worsens an already bad situation.

Kenny MacAskill, Alba Party

They said they had received a request "for the new Deputy Head of Mission to see the FM and Cabinet Secretaries".

Stating that they were inclined to "recommend that the Cabinet Secretary accepts the meeting", they requested "a briefing on the visit". A Foreign Office civil servant said Whitehall could provide the "latest briefing lines".

A Scottish Government official replied: "Yes please to the lines - I'm keen we're on the same page."

In public, SNP ministers have emphasised their different attitude to the Gaza war, calling for a ceasefire before either Labour or the Conservatives backed the demand. Swinney wrote to both Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer last May demanding that the UK recognises a Palestinian state.

Another email stated that SNP special advisers had "asked what the FCDO advice was on these matters", with a civil servant replying: "On meeting the Deputy Head of Mission, they're relaxed. It's a normal diplomatic meeting. I'll ask them for all the latest lines in advance of any meeting."

Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater said: "The Scottish Government has rightly taken a different position from Westminster on the killing, and has actively, and publicly condemned Israel's actions and demanded a ceasefire, which made the meeting even more shocking.

She added: "The UK government has armed and supported the Israeli bombardment right from the start, so it is concerning that the Scottish Government worked in-step with the Foreign Office to get the go-ahead for such a meeting to take place."

The emails reveal that Swinney's private office was closely involved in planning the meeting - and responding to the backlash - throughout. International relations officials even discussed tweeting a picture of the event with Swinney's press adviser Jack Middleton. The official asked: "Just to check before I publish tweet - did we get the pic from embassy? If not, I'll issue without."

Alba Party acting leader Kenny MacAskill, who served as justice secretary under Salmond, said: "This confirms why people were appalled at Angus Robertson's actions. This worsens an already bad situation.

"No wonder the ...