JVL denies spokeswoman thinks Zionism-Nazism comparisons are ‘brilliant’

* Video shows Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi chairing a panel Q&A session to accompany a film screening in London on Sunday 10 February.

A Jewish group sympathetic to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has denied that its spokeswoman described as “brilliant” a speaker’s link between support for Zionism and support for Nazism.

Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL) media officer Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi was reacting to comments from Sabby Saggal, the Jewish chair of Camden Palestine Solidarity Campaign, at a panel Q&A session she chaired to accompany a film screening in London on Sunday 10 February.

During questions from the floor, Saggal referred to “the contradiction at the heart of Zionism,” saying: “Zionism… is supported by – to the hilt – by western imperialist forces. It is exactly those same social-political forces that actually, in the final analysis, were responsible for the destruction of six million Jews.”

He made several other points, including his closing remark, which was to urge audience members to attend an anti-racism march next month, before passing the mic on, to which and she said “brilliant”.

A spokesperson for JVL Watch, which described itself as “keeping an eye on JLV,” said: “The video clearly shows Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi calling an evil and baseless fantasy about Jews, the Holocaust and Israel as ‘brilliant’.

“Her use of the word in reaction to comments that included this vile conspiracy myth is sadly no surprise. JVL is a tiny group of people who exist to whitewash antisemitism. They should be shunned by society and the media.”

However Wimborne-Idrissi said: “I applauded the contribution from Sabby Saggal, who explained that attacks on Corbyn were a threat to the entire anti-racist movement, and ended by calling for support for a unified anti-racist demonstration taking place on 16 March. That is what I said was brilliant.”

Asked if she or JVL agreed with his contention that Zionism is supported by the same forces responsible for the Holocaust, she said: “Neither I nor JVL equate support for Zionism with support for Nazism. To suggest that we do is ludicrous, and a tortuous obfuscation.”