Corbyn appoints MP who compared Palestinians with Shoah victims

Jewish groups have reacted with caution after Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn announced that his new shadow justice minister would be an MP who, in 2014, seemed to compare the plight of Palestinians in Gaza with those of Jews in the Holocaust.

The MP for Bolton South East, Yasmin Qureshi, who was promoted to Corbyn’s shadow cabinet this week, is remembered by many for her remarks on Israelis and Palestinians in February 2014, in which she appeared to draw parallels with the Shoah.

On the Holocaust, she said: “Of course, many millions perished. It is quite strange that some of the people who are running the State of Israel seem to be quite complacent and happy to allow the same to happen in Gaza.” She later apologised.

Board of Deputies’ vice-president Marie van der Zyl said: “Yasmin Qureshi’s 2014 quote comparing the Israel-Palestine conflict with the Holocaust was offensive and she was right to apologise. Naturally, we hope she will be more judicious in her new role as Shadow Justice Minister.”