U.S. Jewish groups demanded on Wednesday that the American Academy of Pediatrics retract a letter to the U.S. State Department asking about the “well-being” of a Hamas leader Israel arrested in December.
In a Jan. 8 letter to Atony Blinken, then the secretary of state, the organization of 67,000 pediatricians described Hussam Abu Safiya as a “pediatrician and the head of Kamal Adwan hospital in Gaza.” It neglected to mention that he holds the rank of colonel in the Hamas terrorist group.
The Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Medical Association, Hadassah and StandWithUs wrote to the pediatrician group expressing “disappointment” about the omission, which they said “fundamentally” compromises the academy’s integrity.
“AAP claims to support the professional needs of its members, but this letter represents a troubling departure from that commitment and is a deeply divisive missive focused on political activism,” the groups wrote. “The letter has already been used to promote anti-Israel propaganda and is garnering widespread public attention.”
“The letter also undermines your members’ ability to effectively serve their patients,” the Jewish groups added. “Parents who bring their children to the doctor are now having to worry that they may face antisemitism from their family’s health care provider.”
Israeli security forces arrested some 240 suspected terrorists at Kamal Adwan Hospital in December including Abu Safiya. Hamas was using the hospital as a command center, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet said.
The AAP letter, signed by its president Sue Kressley, asked Blinken to inform them about the “whereabouts and wellbeing” of Abu Safiya as well as his “safety, health status and access to medical groups.”
The ADL and the other Jewish groups called on the AAP to issue a retraction and to take other steps to combat antisemitism and anti-Zionism.
“Publicly clarify that AAP does not condone terrorism or support individuals associated with or applauding terrorist actions,” the groups wrote. “We believe these recommendations can help address the concerns of members, restore faith in AAP’s leadership and reinforce the academy’s commitment to ethical and inclusive practices.”
