The Israeli Medical Association (IMA) on Sunday blasted an article published in the prestigious British medical journal The Lancet calling for its expulsion from the World Medical Association as a “cynical politicization of medicine and health.”
The petition, which was initiated by a mix of pro-Palestinian groups and reportedly signed by 1,150 health professionals, seeks to raise the issue of suspending the IMA at the general assembly of the World Medical Association in October for failing to condemn “the genocide of Palestinians, the destruction of Gaza’s health system, and the torture of detainees.”
“Criticism of governments and policies is legitimate within democratic discourse; however, exclusion and stigmatization of an entire national medical community cross [sic] an ethical line incompatible with the mission of international medical cooperation,” the IMA said in a written response.
“The expulsion of the IMA would not promote peace, healthcare or human rights. Instead, it would damage scientific collaboration, weaken international medical dialogue and establish a precedent whereby political pressure campaigns may be used to isolate healthcare professionals on the basis of nationality.”
The IMA, which was founded in 1912, is the leading professional organization and trade union representing more than 90% of physicians in Israel.
The group said that the accusation leveled against it in the august journal and published under its “world report” section was both “libelous and outrageous,” and that it is considering further unspecified action.
“We would expect that a journal with rigorous scientific standards would investigate specious allegations, such as our supposed involvement in torture, before allowing them to be printed,” the IMA said.
The World Medical Association said that “it deeply values inclusion and believes engagement with its 117 constituent national medical association members is vital to the medical ethics globally.”
