AIBU - problems with antisemitism amongst NHS medical staff?

[Twiglets1]

The Campaign Against Antisemitism, a prominent UK watchdog group, has identified five healthcare professionals whose public statements it considers antisemitic or anti-Israel.

The five individuals, all current or former National Health Service employees, include midwife Fatimah Mohamied, who allegedly endorsed a post supporting Palestinian “resistance” on Oct. 7, 2023 by responding “Hell yeah!!!” to a post during the Hamas-led onslaught of October 7, 2023, that said: “Palestinians have a right to resist their occupation — we have a right to support them.”

Additionally, physician Dr. Abdelaal Ragheb Elfarra claimed Zionists control the media and the world; psychiatrist Dr. Ahmed Sewehli said regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “you need to be dead”; and emergency physician Dr. Nadeem Crowe described Israel as a “terrorist octopus.” Occupational therapist Zaida Akhtar allegedly shared a video appearing to encourage violence against Netanyahu’s son and a “false flag” claim about the Bondi Beach attack in Australia last year.

The allegations concerning the medical professionals follow a review published in June by John Mann, the British government’s independent adviser on antisemitism, which found “routine ostracism” of Jewish staff and patients within the NHS.

Jewish community representatives have warned that antisemitism in healthcare can affect patients at moments of particular vulnerability.

Karen Newman, a vice president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, described that concern during parliamentary testimony on May 14. She spoke about Jewish patients hesitating to request kosher meals after seeing a Palestinian badge on a nurse’s uniform.

“That is not a moment when you feel good asking for kosher meals,” she said.

https://www.jns.org/news/world/medical-staff-antisemitism-flagged-in-uk

What about the Mann review? Based on those findings, do you agree that the NHS has problems with antisemitism?

( which they are currently trying to address)

Anti Israel and Anti Semitism are not the same thing FYI. People are allowed to wear a Palestine badge without being accused of making others feel uncomfortable when a genocide is being committed. Netanyahu is a war criminal. Hope this helps

Medical staff need to be keeping their political opinions to themselves. It is so inappropriate in any workplace to wear political symbols like a palestinian flag.

I haven't read it. I was commenting on your op which seemed to be based off a group who are known for spreading purposefully misleading information and abusive prosecutions.

These sorts of threads always go the same way. I’m half Jewish and used to feel proud to tell people this but now feel a little afraid to, especially in the area of academia I teach within (humanities). It shouldn’t be this way but everyone continuously conflates Judaism with Zionism and whilst ever people continue to call anyone who calls out the Israeli government as automatically being antisemitic, this is going to be an issue.

Another issue is how quick everyone has been to damn Israel but other countries who are responsible for even worse atrocities in recent years e.g Sudan are ignored.

I really don’t want to get into that here, that wasn’t the idea. Do you understand what a genocide is? Israel’s goals are not to kill Palestinians despite what you’re told and shown. The soldiers are largely reservists who want to go back to their lives, families and businesses. The population in Gaza is increasing so as genocides go they’re doing a pretty crappy job. It’s a war. A horrible war being fought in horrible urban conditions just the way Hamas want to it to be. And the fat terrorists hiding in tunnels are all laughing at people like you who fall for the propaganda.

Political symbols should be banned in the NHS going forward. Policies can and should change based on evidence of concern from a minority population, like a significant drop in demand for kosher meals.

Russian patients in the NHS would be a tiny minority, but I can assure you that Russians in the UK felt less welcome when so many were showing such visible support for Ukraine, regardless of their actual views on the conflict.

Reminders of war can also be triggering for people who had experienced or fled conflict, regardless of nationality or ethnicity.

100%
Utterly appalling that some people still try to deny a genocide which has been recognised globally. Right up there with holocaust deniers.

There should be no political statements by NHS professional at work ever. No badge, lanyard, nothing. What people do away from work is their business.

Agree with this.

The increasing polarisation of this topic fuelled by right wing media does nobod any favours.

Why don't you think about the main point in her post. That she doesn't see a future for her in her own country. Rather than focus on whether or not there is a genocide which is yet to be determined by the courts and it doesn't matter a hoot whether you believe it is happening or not.

"Increasing polarisation " then immediately juxtaposed with "fuelled by right wing media" did make me chuckle.

There have been reports of racism before in the NHS about black women receiving poorer maternity care and being more likely to die when giving birth. I remember it being discussed on MN . I’m sure no one decided to then push a different slant on the experience of those women being treated poorly, it was just and rightfully so sympathy.

But here we have people arguing saying claims are exaggerated or just not believing there is anti semitism in the NHS and turning it around to talk about Gaza and whilst what is happening there is awful this report is about anti semitism in the NHS within the UK.

Try and focus on the topic in hand which is tbe treatment of Jews by NHS staff.

But my OP also mentioned the Mann review?

This is a good point. The Russians I have met in the UK are in no way Putin supporters but have been made to feel very unwelcome on occasion.

I understand the concern but antisemitic and anti Israel cannot be used interchangeably, you cannot assume someone who is concerned about the violence in Palestine is antisemitic.

Israel are stating in clear terms that they intend to ethnically cleanse Gaza, yet still people are defending Israel on this thread. I do find myself wondering if there is any limit to actions which some people will defend the Israeli regime for.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/28/israels-defence-minister-says-large-scale-palestinian-migration-from-gaza-will-go-ahead

There is no point posting about antisemitism on mumsnet. I can’t even open these threads any more as it’s too painful.

If they aren't also concerned about the massive levels of violence happening elsewhere in the world and only concentrate on Gaza then I assume anti semitism I'm afraid. Can't pick and chose your concern.

People are not allowed to wear Palestinian badges in NHS settings anymore.

In their own time they can but not at work if they work for the NHS because they take the findings from the independent review seriously.

It all boils down to the problem of people being increasingly unable to get over themselves.

The geopolitical beliefs of a random radiographer are immaterial to the sum of human wisdom and they need to keep them personal and private in order to be competent and trustworthy clinicians.

No don’t do that…. About 100 steps too far. Virtue signalling???

Exactly. Who cares what they think. People need to keep their political or racist views to themselves rather than vomiting them all over everyone else. The whole thing is absolutely bizarre.