Amid Uproar Over Anti-Semitic Comments, Herzog Invites UK Laborites to Yad Vashem

YERUSHALAYIM

Opposition leader Isaac Herzog (Zionist Camp) has stepped into the uproar over anti-Semitism in Britain’s Labor party, with an invitation to Yad Vashem, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Herzog made the invitation in a letter to U.K. Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn following public outrage over anti-Semitic remarks made by some party members.

“I have been appalled and outraged by the recent examples of anti-Semitism by senior Labor party officials in the United Kingdom…which must act as a red alert and prompt immediate action,” Herzog wrote.

Former London Mayor Ken Livingstone was suspended from the party after telling the BBC last Thursday: “Let’s remember when Hitler won his election in 1932 his policy then was that Jews should be moved to Israel. He was supporting Zionism,” Livingston said

But the problem is not just Livingstone. Just the day before his remark, Labor lawmaker Naz Shah was “administratively suspended” over a statement in 2014 proposing that Israelis should be moved en masse to the United States. She has since apologized.

In an interview with BBC, Livingstone insisted that neither Shah nor the Labor Party were anti-Semitic.

“I’ve heard a lot of criticism of the state of Israel and its abuse of Palestinians, but I’ve never heard someone be anti-Semitic,” Livingstone said, prefacing his “Hitler supported Zionism” remark.

Corbyn, who has been criticized for not doing enough to rid the party of anti-Semitism, announced a panel of inquiry on Sunday.

U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron said that “it is quite clear that the Labor Party has a problem with anti-Semitism.”

“While Ken Livingstone is surely anti-Semitic beyond hope of redemption, I’m sure there remain many Labor Party activists with a willingness to engage and better understand the scourge of anti-Semitism,” Herzog said in his letter.

“By doing this, perhaps, we can ensure that the anti-Semitism expressed in recent days is not the example to set to the young British generation, but rather one of tolerance and acceptance of all people, regardless of faith.”

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