By Emmanuel Adeleke
The Labour Party in the United Kingdom has suspended British-Nigerian member of Parliament (MP), Kate Osamor, after she accused Israel of genocide on the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD).
Holocaust Memorial Day is a day set aside to remember the six million Jews and other groups murdered during the Holocaust by the Nazi.
The MP had sparked outrage after claiming in her weekly newsletter that Gaza should be added to the list of “recent genocides.”
“Tomorrow is Holocaust Memorial Day, an international day to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, the millions of other people murdered under Nazi persecution of other groups and more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and now Gaza,” she wrote.
Osamor was suspended from parliament by the Labour Party and investigation was launched into matter.
Howevetr, Osamor has apologised for “any offence caused” over the message distributed to local party members last Friday.
In a post on X, she wrote: “I apologise for any offence caused by my reference to the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Gaza as part of that period of remembrance.”
Meanwhile, the Holocaust Educational Trust has described her remarks as a “painful insult to survivors of the Holocaust.”
The Board of Deputies of British Jews called her comment “disgraceful,” while the Jewish Leadership Council accused her of abusing HMD to attack the Jewish state.
Shadow Business Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, said it was not acceptable to equate the Holocaust to the situation in Gaza.
“What is happening in Gaza is clearly a humanitarian catastrophe that is recognised. But there are specific reasons the Holocaust is considered as it is,” he said.
