A GLASGOW MSP has claimed the International Criminal Court (ICC) is "biased against Israel".

John Mason, Shettleston SNP MSP said Israel has a better human rights record than other countries in the Middle East after it was suggested sporting links should be cut over the war in Gaza.

Last week the ICC announced it would seek the arrest of senior leaders of Hamas, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes.

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In an email sent last week, Mason criticised the ICC, claiming it was "not neutral".

He said: "You refer to the International Criminal Court but we know that such bodies are not neutral but are biased against Israel."

He was responding to a call by the group Show Israel the Red Card to sever sporting links with the country.

Mr Mason also said Iran was "behind the current Middle East crisis.

He wrote: "Israel is far from perfect but it does have a better human rights standard and is more democratic than many other countries.

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"So if we stopped playing Israel, we should also have to break sporting lin

ks with Iran (which is behind the current Middle East crisis), Saudi (which has an awful human rights record), Afghanistan (where women are so badly treated), China, India, and Pakistan (in all three minorities are very badly treated), and several other countries."

The SNP has consistently called for a ceasefire since the conflict began following the Hamas attacks on October 7 last year.

The Scotland women's national football team is due to play the country this week at Hampden, with the game to be played without fans due to "the potential for planned disruptions".

The return fixture next week - due to take place in Hungary - will also be played behind closed doors.

Maree Shepherd, of Show Israel the Red Card, said: "I am extremely shocked and concerned that an elected member of the SNP party could openly claim that international institutions such as the ICC are biased.

"To do so greatly hampers the chance of bringing peace and holding to account those guilty of war crimes.

"To also ignore Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine of almost eight decades, its appalling human rights records and its latest horrific military campaign on occupied Palestinians where Gaza has been reduced to rubble and over 36,000 Palestinians have been killed is also deeply alarming.

"He also accuses Iran as the nation responsible for the current crisis in the Middle East, with again no mention of Israel's role."

An SNP spokesperson said: "The SNP is clear that the International Criminal Court is scrupulously independent and fair. We are equally clear that the current crisis is the direct result of the actions of Hamas and the Israeli government.

"Thousands of innocent Palestinian children, women and men have been killed. The Tories and Labour Party must finally join the SNP in recognising the state of Palestine, halting arms sales, and calling for an immediate ceasefire to end the collective punishment of people in Gaza."