The
Independent London, Saturday, October 4, 2003 Minister under
fire for Middle East-Holocaust
comparison By Pippa
Crerar THE Government minister
responsible for Holocaust memorial day has been
accused of making "irresponsible and
insensitive"
remarks linking the Nazi genocide to the troubles
in the Middle East. Comments by Fiona Mactaggart, a junior
Home Office minister, at a fringe meeting at the
Labour Party conference in Brighton earlier this
week, have caused outrage in the Jewish
community. Lord
Janner of Braunstone, a Labour peer and
chairman of the Holocaust Educational Trust, has
written to the Home Secretary, David
Blunkett, demanding an explanation. Speaking at a function of the Council for the
Advancement of Arab-British Understanding, Ms
Mactaggart said: "The fact Holocaust memorial day is being
celebrated in Belfast this year and is focusing on
Rwanda is something we should enthusiastically join
in and at the same time say we have solidarity with
you in remembering this genocide, but that does not
mean that we support what Israel is doing to the
Palestinians today. Indeed you could draw some
parallels." Lord Janner said: "It is especially
inappropriate for the Home Office minister in
charge of community policy to draw parallels
between the Holocaust and any aspect of the
situation between Israel and Palestine. "It is also gravely offensive and shows a lack
of historical perspective. It is both irresponsible
and insensitive to make statements likely to stir
up tensions between our Jewish and Muslim
communities." Gena Turgel, 80, a holocaust survivor now
living in London, told PA News: "I am absolutely
shocked ... How could she make such an nappropriate
comparison?" But in a statement to totallyjewish.com,
the news website, Ms Mactaggart said: "I was not
seeking to draw a parallel between the Holocaust
and what's happening in the Middle East. I'm saying
there are parallels in how a community which feels
assaulted by an experience feels, in order to make
somebody in my audience understand why he, as
someone who strongly opposed the actions of the
government of Israel, should strongly support
Holocaust memorial day." She stressed that she did
not speak for the Government on foreign
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