Baroness sacked for anti-Israel comments

Baroness Jenny Tonge, a Liberal Democrat frontbencher in Britain, has been sacked as the party's health spokeswoman after urging an inquiry into charges that Israeli forces in Haiti harvested the organs of victims, British media outlets reported Saturday.

Tonge, who served as a Liberal Democrat spokeswoman in the House of Lords, has been removed from the post.

Party lead Nick Clegg initially refused to take steps against Tonge, whose comments were published by The Jewish Chronicle Thursday. However, he later changed his position, dismissing the baroness' comments as "wrong and distasteful."

In her interview with The Jewish Chronicle, Tonge said: "To prevent allegations such as these - which have already been posted on You Tube - going any further, the IDF and the Israeli Medical Association should establish an independent inquiry immediately to clear the names of the team in Haiti."

In a statement issued by Clegg, Saturday he said: "Following discussions with the Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, Lord McNally, I have decided that Jenny Tonge will stand down as Liberal Democrat health spokesperson in the Lords following her unacceptable comments suggesting an inquiry into highly offensive allegations against the IDF humanitarian operation in Haiti."

"The comments were wrong, distasteful and provocative and I recognize the deep and understandable distress they have caused to the Jewish community," he said, while noting that he does not believe that Jenny Tonge is anti-Semitic or racist.