Since the start of the war in Gaza, official forums of the American Psychological Association (APA)—the world’s largest psychology organization, with over 173,000 members—have hosted dozens of posts calling for Israel’s destruction and supporting violence against Jews and Israelis, according to a letter sent to the APA’s leadership.
The letter, signed by 3,556 mental health professionals and obtained by Ynet, was addressed to APA President Dr. Debra Kawahara and 15 board members. It accuses the organization of allowing “virulent antisemitism” to flourish, claiming that Jewish members have been “harassed, excluded and silenced” when objecting to hate speech or attempting to correct misinformation.
Among the most inflammatory statements cited in the letter were remarks by Dr. Lara Sheehi, until recently the president of APA’s Division of Psychoanalysis. Sheehi reportedly referred to Zionism as a “settler psychosis,” called Israelis “f***ing genocidal murderers,” and openly advocated to “destroy Zionism.” The letter also claims that APA conferences have invited “speakers with antisemitic backgrounds” who presented Holocaust distortions, justified violence against Israelis and argued that the Jewish community had no right to mourn the victims of the October 7 Hamas massacre.
The letter also details numerous complaints from APA members, including forum posts calling for an “intifada revolution,” endorsements of Hamas and the BDS movement and calls for an academic boycott of Israel. One forum reportedly featured a post immediately after October 7 praising Hamas and calling for the exclusion of Israeli academics from U.S. research institutions.
Signatories say they have witnessed APA conference sessions that went beyond political criticism of Israel, featuring open dehumanization of Jews.
Former APA division head accused of antisemitism moves to Qatar
The letter also highlights the role of Dr. Lara Sheehi, a vocal critic of Israel who led the APA’s Division of Psychoanalysis from 2023 to 2025. Sheehi has frequently made inflammatory statements on social media, including slurs and calls to eradicate Zionism. She was previously the subject of a formal complaint to the U.S. Department of Education over allegations of hostility toward Jewish students at George Washington University, ultimately leading to her departure from the institution.
Among the accusations, students claimed that during the first class of the semester, Sheehi asked them to introduce themselves. When one student mentioned she was born in Jerusalem, Sheehi reportedly responded, "It’s not your fault you were born in Israel." She was also accused of inviting radical anti-Zionist speakers, one of whom falsely claimed that Israeli soldiers use Palestinian children for weapons testing. Other students reported that Sheehi repeatedly singled out their Jewish identities in class discussions and disparaged them behind their backs in conversations with faculty.
Despite repeated complaints, the letter’s signatories claim that APA leadership failed to act against Sheehi, who recently relocated to Doha, Qatar, and did not take steps to address antisemitism within the organization.
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The letter also accuses the APA of double standards regarding Israel. While the organization has previously taken strong public stances on social justice issues—including condemning racism and apologizing for historical injustices against minority communities—it has remained silent on antisemitism. The signatories cite APA’s statements of “solidarity with Ukraine” and its apology to “people of color for perpetuating racism” as examples, contrasting them with its lack of response to a 500% increase in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. since October 2023, based on FBI data.
The APA formally adopted a resolution against prejudice and antisemitism in 2005, pledging to uphold inclusive language for all minority groups, prioritize scientific psychology over ideologically driven rhetoric and respond to antisemitic discourse in APA-affiliated forums. However, the letter claims that these commitments have remained unfulfilled.
'This is a process that requires time'
In response to the letter, the APA said that it “opposes all forms of hate and discrimination and recognizes their devastating impact on mental health and personal well-being.” A spokesperson for the organization added, “APA is committed to empowering historically marginalized communities and driving systemic change. This is a process that requires time, patience and determination.”
Dr. Julie Ancis, one of the letter’s initiators, said she left the APA four years ago after noticing a troubling rise in antisemitism within the organization. “I left because antisemitism became increasingly apparent, and leadership refused to address it,” she said. According to Ancis, many of her Jewish colleagues made the same decision, feeling abandoned by the association.
The letter’s authors are demanding that APA leadership take concrete measures, including enforcing respectful discourse and inclusive language for all minority groups, refocusing on scientific psychology rather than political rhetoric and explicitly condemning antisemitic discourse in APA-affiliated forums.
“This situation has serious consequences for students training in APA-accredited programs, for the well-being of Jewish patients, for the mental and spiritual health of Jewish professionals, and for the credibility of psychology as a profession,” the signatories concluded. “We call on you to act now.”