The depute leader of the SNP is travelling to Israel to offer Scotland's help in achieving peace in the region.

Angus Robertson, who is also the party's leader at Westminster, said he was "under no illusion about the scale of the task" in realising an agreement between Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

His week-long trip comes following meetings with Israeli and Palestinian representatives in London. Robertson will visit Israel and cross the 'green line' into the Palestinian Territories.

Robertson said: "Conflict in the Middle East is sadly not new but the focus is currently very much on Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

"Given the scale of the horror in the Syrian civil war, the fight against Daesh in Iraq and the Saudi bombing in Yemen it is perhaps understandable that the decades-old conflict involving Israel and Palestine is less in the spotlight.

"The challenges in the Holy Land have not gone away, however, and the need for a resolution and peace are as acute as ever."

He added: "Having long supported peace and reconciliation initiatives I have been encouraged to explore whether there is any way Scotland can offer help and assistance.

"Both the Israeli ambassador and the Palestinian envoy to the UK have welcomed the interest and the potential support.

"Small nations have already been able to make a positive impact as we know from the Oslo accords. We are of course limited in Scotland by the fact that we are not a sovereign state actor yet but there are still things we can offer."

The Moray MP expressed a wish for Palestinians to "govern themselves".

He said: "Just like the international community, the SNP are strong supporters of a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.

"Palestinians must be able to govern themselves, see an end to the occupation and begin to prosper. Israelis must be able to live in peace and security.

"Every moderate Israeli and Palestinian I have met wants this to happen."

He added: "I am under no illusion about the scale of the task that Palestinians and Israelis face in reaching a settlement or limited progress along the way.

"Even limited progress has been agonisingly slow and there have been so many backward steps. But I am really keen that Scotland should aspire to offer help and assistance.

"When I am in Israel and Palestine I want to learn about how we can be more supportive in the search for peace.

"There are many people in Scotland who want to help, including our Jewish community and campaigners for Palestine. Hopefully, together we can help make a difference, no matter how small."

In October, SNP activists launched a new campaign group, SNP Friends of a Two-State Solution, to improve relations between the party and the Jewish state and secure a resolution to the conflict.