The United Kingdom’s Labour Party has suspended British-Nigerian MP Kate Osamor after she accused Israel of genocide on the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day. Osamor, who serves as a minister, has apologized for any offense caused by her remarks. The suspension comes as Jewish groups criticized her comments, and an investigation has been initiated.
Holocaust Memorial Day commemorates the six million Jews and other groups murdered during the Holocaust, as well as recent genocides. Osamor’s statement, linking the Holocaust to the situation in Gaza, drew strong criticism. The Holocaust Educational Trust described her remarks as a painful insult to Holocaust survivors, while the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council condemned her comments as disgraceful and an abuse of Holocaust Memorial Day to attack Israel.
Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds stated that equating the Holocaust to the situation in Gaza is not acceptable. More than 26,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s campaign began after the October 7 attacks.
Momentum, a left-wing pressure group within Labour, called Osamor’s suspension an outrageous decision. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) recently ordered Israel to take measures to prevent genocidal acts in Gaza, though a verdict on the central allegation of genocide is expected to take much longer.
Osamor’s suspension adds to tensions within the Labour Party over its stance on Israel, with leader Sir Keir Starmer supporting Israel’s right to defend itself while also calling for a sustainable ceasefire. Osamor is the second Labour MP to apologize for remarks related to the Gaza conflict in a week, following Tahir Ali’s accusation against Rishi Sunak during Prime Minister’s Questions.