The uproar over Livingstone’s comments has unsettled Labour backers ahead of Thursday’s elections, which include choosing a new London mayor.
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Livingstone had also angered colleagues by asserting Shah’s remarks comparing Hitler’s policies to those of Israel toward Palestinians and for suggesting Israel be relocated to the United States, were not anti-Semitic.
Defending Ms Shah, the former London Mayor said Ms Shah had been the victim of a “smear campaign” by the “Israel lobby”.
“I would like to take this opportunity, in the week leading up to Holocaust Memorial Day in Israel, to invite you to bring a delegation from the British Labour Party to Israel’s national Holocaust museum, Yad Vashem”, Mr Herzog wrote.
Livingstone was a vocal critic of Tony Blair, whose 1994 election as Labour leader saw the party move towards the center.
Ken Livingstone has stood by his recent comments about Hitler, saying he was “not sorry for telling the truth”.
Livingstone was suspended from the centre-left party on Thursday after saying Hitler initially wanted to move Jews to Israel, and “was supporting Zionism before he went mad and ended up killing six million Jews”.
In his first interview since making the comments Livingstone was grilled by former Conservative Cabinet minister David Mellor and Channel 4 journalist Michael Crick.
Mr. Corbyn’s views have often jarred with many Labour lawmakers in parliament, however, dividing the party at a time when it is trying to hold the government, which is also deeply split over Britain’s membership in the European Union, to account.
Following Livingstone’s remarks, Labour MP John Mann confronted him on camera and accused him of being a “Nazi apologist”.
The former London mayor’s comments were branded “vile, offensive and crass” by the party’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, who said Mr Livingstone had “let down the Labour Party”.
“While legitimate criticism of Israel is not anti-semitic, it can act as a cover for such thoughts”, she said.
Labour MP Wes Streeting, the vice chairman of the all-party parliamentary group against anti-Semitism, warned that inaction by the leadership was damaging the party’s reputation. “We will not tolerate anti-Semitism in any form whatsoever in the party”.
Livingstone said: “No, I think they’re going to come out and vote for the Labour candidate because he’s been absolutely clear, he’s denounced anti-Semitism”.
Appearing on LBC radio, Mr Livingstone repeated his belief that what he had said was true.
Asked during the interview whether he regarded her statement as anti-Semitic, Livingstone said: “No, it’s completely over the top but it’s not anti-Semitic”.
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Hull MP Alan Johnson has delivered a scathing attack on Ken Livingston accusing him of “stirring it up” after his suspension from the Labour party over comments about Hitler and Jews.
