Angus Robertson has apologised again following an SNP backlash over his meeting with a senior Israeli diplomat.

The external affairs secretary faced calls for his resignation by angry SNP members last month after he held talks in Edinburgh with Israel's deputy ambassador to the UK and was forced to apologise in the wake of the controversy.

As he opened a session on international relations at the SNP's conference in Edinburgh on Sunday morning he told party delegates he was "profoundly sorry".

"As I have already said I am profoundly sorry that any impression was given of any normalisation with the Israeli Government when in fact the priority of the Scottish Government was to communicate support for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, release of all hostages, an end of UK arms being sent to Israel and a recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state withiin the two state solution," he said.

Mr Robertson's apology to conference echoed the one he made last month when he said he was sorry for the apparent impression the meeting had caused.

He said then the talks should have been "strictly limited to the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza."

He also said the Scottish Government would not hold any more meetings with Israeli until "real progress" is made in peace talks.

As Mr Roberston addressed delegates inside the hall, a pro Palestinian protest took place outside calling for the external affairs secretary's resignation.

During the question and answer session SNP delegates asked Mr Robertson and fellow panel member Stephen Gethins if the party agreed with "the International Criminal Court and its decision that [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu being a criminal" and what the Scottish Government would do to help the men, women and children suffering in Palestine.

Mr Robertson said the SNP upheld the international rules based order involving international law and courts.

He noted that the ICC had issued arrest warrants for both Israeli and Hamas leaders and that these included one for the Israeli Prime Minister.

"I think it is important that the international courts are able to do what they are supposed to do and we have to support them in their work," he said.

"The International Court of Justice issued an advisory ruling in July on the Israeli occupation which I know is also on people's minds as well as the violence being inflicted on the people of Gaza and there is also the South African case being brought in relation to genocide. So all of these things really really matter.

"We need to do everything we can, and should do, to support international justice delivering."

He said the SNP could not help those authorities directly "as we're not independent yet" but would be calling on the UK Government to support those international courts in their work.

When asked by The Herald if  the Scottish position had left them open to charges of hypocrisy, Mr Robertson said: "You were aware that I drew attention to the fact that the ICC and the arrest warrant application is in relation both to Israel and Hamas. 

"It's absolutely right that in the challenging situation that exists and the strong feelings that exist around what is happening in Gaza and increasing in the West Bank as well, that we don't lose sight of the fact that people have died in Israel, that hostages remain held captive, hostages, sadly, we learn have just been murdered in recent days. 

"There is no easy solution to any of this, but we as the SNP and we as the Scottish Government support international efforts to try and secure a ceasefire in Gaza, indeed in the West Bank, to the release of all hostages, an end to the arms sales to Israel and a long standing desire in the international community to secure a two state solution. 

"Is any of this easy. No, it's not, but it is the position of the SNP and the Scottish Government, and I think that's widely shared around the world."

Details of the summit with Ms Grudsky emerged last month when the diplomat publicly thanked Mr Robertson on social media for “welcoming us to wonderful Scotland.”

She added: “Discussed the unique commonalities between Israel and Scotland and also emphasized the urgent need to bring back our 115 hostages.

“Looking forward to cooperating in the fields of technology, culture and renewable energy.”

Her post sparked outrage, with SNP MSPs, MPs and party members openly criticising Mr Robertson.