A FORMER mayor of Newport has been suspended by the Labour Party after an alleged offensive social media post about the events unfolding in Israel.

Councillor Miqdad Al-Nuaimi is alleged to have posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, about Israeli security policy in Gaza.

It’s alleged Cllr Al-Nuaimi, who has represented Labour on Newport City Council since 2000, and was city mayor in 2006, made inappropriate comments after the Israeli response to Hamas terror attacks over the weekend. 

The post has since been taken down, GB News reported.

On October 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, breaking through the border between Israel and Palestine on the Gaza strip – one of the most fortified borders in the world.

Hamas then caused chaos in multiple locations across Israel attacking civilians and taking Israelis hostage.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to avenge what he refers to as an invasion, saying “his country is at war”.

The Argus understands that the Labour Party has suspended Cllr Al-Nuaimi, who represents Stow Hill ward, as a member of the party while the incident is investigated.

An administrative suspension means he will also lose the Labour whip on the council until and if he is reinstated in the party.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: "We cannot comment on individual cases because our disciplinary proceedings are confidential."

A suspension is a neutral act and does not imply guilt.

It is not the first time Cllr Al-Nuaimi has been suspended from the party. In May 2016, the Argus reported that had been suspended following comments he made on his Twitter account criticising the Israeli government.

But he was reinstated a few months later.

Speaking in January 2017, he told the Argus: “This means I can now serve my constituents in Stow Hill and the residents in Newport even more effectively than I have been able to do during the suspension period. 

“I am naturally pleased that I can now put this whole unfortunate episode behind me.”