Al Jazeera suspends two journalists over holocaust denial video

Al Jazeera Media Network has suspended two journalists over a video that downplayed and misrepresented the Holocaust.

The Qatari state-funded broadcaster had published the video on its online AJ+ video service in Arabic.

During World War Two, six million Jewish people were systematically killed by the Nazis.

Al Jazeera's video said this number had been exaggerated and "adopted by the Zionist movement", and that Israel is the "biggest winner" from the genocide.

Its narrator also asked, "why is there a focus only on them?" - referring to the Jewish victims - before claiming that the community uses "financial resources [and] media institutions" to "put a special spotlight" on Jewish suffering.

The Qatar-based network announced the disciplinary action in a statement on Sunday.

The content was swiftly deleted from AJ+ web pages and social media accounts.

Yaser Bishr, executive director of Al Jazeera's digital division, said the network "completely disowns the offensive content in question" and would not tolerate such material on any of the network's platforms.

In an email to staff, he also announced a mandatory bias and sensitivity training program.

Dima Khatib, managing director of AJ+, said in a statement that the video was produced without due oversight.

Announcing a review of workflows at AJ+ to ensure all content goes through proper editorial channels, Khatib also called on all AJ+ editors and journalists to comply with the network's editorial values.

"Al Jazeera continues to adhere to the journalistic values of honesty, courage, fairness, balance, independence, credibility and diversity," the network said in the statement.

"In addition, the network recognizes the diversity in societies with all races, cultures, beliefs and their values and intrinsic individualities."

It also said it has not shied away from acknowledging and rectifying mistakes in its editorial content since its inception.