General election 2019: Plaid suspend member over anti-Semitism claims

Plaid Cymru said it does not tolerate "anti-Semitism, racism or intolerance of any form"

Plaid Cymru has suspended a party member included in its party election broadcast over allegations of anti-Semitism.

The party said it will conduct an investigation into historical social media comments made by Sahar Al-Faifi.

Ms Al-Faifi appeared in Plaid Cymru's party political broadcast for the general election, which aired on BBC Wales, ITV Wales and S4C on Thursday.

The party said it will not tolerate anti-Semitism or racism "in any form".

Ms Al-Faifa has been asked to comment on the posts, which were deleted some time ago.

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In the broadcast, she said: "Activists, it's us," in a reference to Plaid's slogan for the election campaign: "Wales, it's us."

Since the party election broadcast, Sahar Al-Faifi has been accused on social media of making anti-Semitic Facebook and Twitter comments between 2012 and 2014.

Plaid Cymru said: "We have taken immediate action to suspend the person in question. We will investigate all allegations.

"Plaid Cymru will not tolerate anti-Semitism, racism or intolerance in any form. That includes the appalling abuse the individual has been subject to. It is not a part of the Wales we want to build."

She has also appeared on broadcasts for BBC Wales discussing her faith.

On Thursday, Plaid Cymru posted a picture on Twitter of Ms Al-Faifi, who wears a face-veil or niqab, to promote the party election broadcast later that evening.

Plaid Cymru sent a tweet saying the post received "abusive Islamophobic responses" that are "unacceptable and will not be tolerated."

The party's tweet continued: "We stand with Sahar and all Muslim people in Wales and beyond.

"Wales is rich in its diversity. We are all Welsh citizens. We are all equal."