House Democratic Whip Rep. James Clyburn (c) on Capitol Hill. Photo: Reuters/Joshua Roberts.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has demanded an apology from the Democratic whip in the US House of Representatives after he appeared to diminish the importance of the Nazi Holocaust in remarks to the press on Thursday.

Rep. James Clyburn (SC), who is also a prominent member of the Congressional Black Caucus, made the comments during a defense of his fellow Democrat, Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN), who has been widely accused of recycling the antisemitic “dual loyalty” trope in her attacks on US support for Israel.

Clyburn suggested that Omar’s personal experience of having fled from war-torn Somalia as a child was more pertinent and relevant than the testimonies of the descendants of Holocaust survivors.

“I’m serious about that. There are people who tell me, ‘Well, my parents are Holocaust survivors.’ ‘My parents did this.’ It’s more personal with her,” Clyburn said. “I’ve talked to her, and I can tell you she is living through a lot of pain.”

But the ADL quickly denounced Clyburn, calling on him to retract and apologize for his remarks.

“It’s offensive to diminish the suffering of survivors & the continuing pain of Jews today,” the Jewish civil rights organization said on Twitter.

The Holocaust was a singular tragedy resulting in the death of 6M Jews. It’s offensive to diminish the suffering of survivors & the continuing pain of Jews today. We respect @WhipClyburn’s long record of public service, but he should apologize & retract: https://t.co/m9zWTFHz1z

— ADL (@ADL) March 7, 2019