Jeremy Corbyn urged to apologise for not mentioning Jews during Holocaust memorial message

Jeremy Corbyn has come under fire after failing to mention Jews or anti-semitism in his message while signing the Holocaust Educational trust memorial book.

The Labour leader, who has been criticised in the past for failing to deal with anti-Semitism in the party, wrote in the memorial book of the Holocaust Educational Trust ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day that we should never forget the "millions who died" and the "cruel hurt their descendants have suffered".

He added: "We should understand the way fascism arose in Germany and the circumstances that gave space for the Nazis to grow.

"At this, and at all other times, we should reflect and make sure succeeding generations understand the power of words.

"Their power to do immense good and inspire; and their power to promote hate and division. Let us use their power to educate to inspire but above all to build values of trust and respect."

The message arrived after the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) accused the party of failing to deal with the string of antisemitism incidents, including a second investigation into Ken Livingstone following his remarks that Adolf Hitler was a Zionist which appears to have been "stuck in limbo".

The Campaign Against Antisemitism charity is now demanding an apology from Corbyn for "subtracting the Jews from a genocide of Jews".

A spokesperson added: "The Holocaust was a genocide in which the Nazis and their collaborators systematically murdered two-thirds of the Jewish population of Europe.

"This is what we remember. Through studying, teaching and memorialising this disastrous episode in the history of mankind, the world is reminded of what we are capable of if we permit those with evil inclinations to reach power, and indeed Holocaust Memorial Day is now also a day of remembrance of subsequent genocides, including in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

"To omit Jews from Holocaust remembrance is a contradiction in terms, for by cutting Jews and antisemitism out of the story, we remember nothing."

Jonathan Greenblatt, head of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) tweeted: "To omit any reference to Jews or #antiSemitism in your Holocaust remembrance statement is offensive to us and the millions murdered. Nazi ideology was rooted in hate & #anti-semitism. We can never forget that."

Discussing the message in the book, a Labour Party source told IBTimes UK: "Jeremy was clearly referring to the millions of Jewish victims of the Holocaust and their descendants."

Labour added that in Corbyn's message in the Holocaust Educational Trust service book, Corbyn wrote: "As we remember the victims of evil, we salute the power of humanity and solidarity embodied in these words by our Jewish brothers and sisters which still resonate once the hate-filled banalities of their tormentors are long forgotten."

US president Donald Trump was criticised last year for failing to mention Jews in his message ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day.

In his statement, he said: "It is with a heavy heart and sombre mind that we remember and honour the victims, survivors, heroes of the Holocaust. It is impossible to fully fathom the depravity and horror inflicted on innocent people by Nazi terror."

Defending the statement, White House spokesperson Hope Hicks said Trump was taking into account "all of those who suffered" during the Holocaust, not just the six million Jewish people.