The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), an Iran-linked group, has ignited a firestorm of criticism after urging Britain’s King Charles to use his influence to include the Gaza conflict in Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations.

 Critics have accused the group of attempting to insult the significance of the Holocaust by drawing "false parallels" with other conflicts and suffering.

The IHRC, which operates as a registered charity and has received over £1 million ($1.27 million USD) in charity funds, is led by self-declared Islamist revolutionaries closely aligned with Iran. The organization has previously referred to the West as "the enemy."

In an open letter, the IHRC joined forces with academics, celebrities, and activists—including former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters, film director Ken Loach, and former Labour minister Clare Short—to call on King Charles.

 The group’s plea to the King, who is a patron of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, seeks acknowledgment of Gaza as a "current genocide" during this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day.

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Criticism from Jewish Groups and Advocates

Jewish organizations, including the Holocaust Educational Trust, have condemned the IHRCs letter as a deliberate campaign to undermine the unique significance of the Holocaust. Karen Pollock CBE, the trust’s chief executive, stated:

“Just days before we mark Holocaust Memorial Day, 80 years since the liberation of the notorious concentration and death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, we are appalled to see that the Islamic Human Rights Commission continues this tasteless campaign to undermine such a significant day. Their cynical attempt to denigrate the memory of the Holocaust by drawing false parallels between the Holocaust—a unique and unprecedented episode in history—and unrelated current events, will not succeed.”

This year’s Holocaust Memorial Day commemorates the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and also acknowledges genocides recognized by the UK government, such as those in Bosnia, Cambodia, Rwanda, and Darfur. The IHRC’s request to include Gaza has been viewed as an attempt to equate contemporary political conflicts with the systematic extermination of six million Jews during World War II.

IHRC’s Campaign Against Holocaust Memorial Day

In December 2023, the IHRC sent letters to 460 councils and universities, urging them to boycott the 2025 Holocaust commemorations after organizers refused to include Gaza as a recognized genocide.

 The IHRC’s actions have faced widespread backlash, with critics accusing the group of disrespecting the solemnity of Holocaust Memorial Day.

Claudia Mendoza, the chief executive of the Jewish Leadership Council, condemned the IHRC’s stance:

“Holocaust Memorial Day provides a sobering opportunity for all to condemn hate and extremism. It speaks volumes about those who disgracefully call to boycott it.”

Alliance Rejects Two-State Solution

The IHRC is a founding member of the Convivencia Alliance, a coalition of Jewish, Muslim, and Christian organizations advocating for a single democratic state as a solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. The alliance rejects the two-state solution, which has created additional controversy.

Rev. Dr. Stephen Sizer, chair of the Convivencia Alliance, defended the group’s letter to King Charles, stating:

“Other Holocaust trusts, such as the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam, have drawn attention to other genocides in the world to heighten public awareness of the need to implement the Genocide Convention of 1948. If ‘never again’ is to mean ‘never again for anyone, anywhere,’ and we are to truly honor the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust with integrity, we must surely hold accountable those alleged to be perpetrating genocide today.”

IHRC’s Controversial History

The IHRC’s controversial reputation is well-documented. In the 2023 Independent Review of Prevent’s counter-terrorism strategy, Sir William Shawcross described the group as an “Islamist organization ideologically aligned with the Iranian regime, with a history of extremist links and terrorist sympathies.”

The report detailed the IHRC’s connections to violent jihad and its support for individuals associated with terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Sir William’s findings further highlighted campaigns by IHRC figures advocating for the eradication of “Zionists.”

Wider Implications

The IHRC’s actions have sparked a heated debate over the politicization of Holocaust Memorial Day. 

While the organization defends its position as a call for inclusive recognition of global suffering, critics argue that such attempts distort the historical reality of the Holocaust and diminish its unique significance.

As Holocaust Memorial Day approaches, the controversy underscores the ongoing struggle to preserve the integrity of historical remembrance against the backdrop of contemporary political agendas.