Twelve senior Arab Israeli physicians have accused the Israeli Medical Association of racism, saying they were alarmed by remarks attributed to a senior association official opposing a change in the organization’s election system in order to prevent the selection of an Arab physician as chair.
In a letter sent in recent days to Israeli Medical Association Chairman Prof. Zion Hagay, the doctors wrote that during a committee meeting held at Meir Medical Center, a senior association figure said the organization opposed changing its electoral method to avoid the possibility that a physician of Arab origin would be elected chair.
“This is crude racism, contrary to the spirit of the physician’s oath and the medical code of ethics, and we will act to uproot from the core any manifestation or expression of racism in the public sphere,” the letter said. The letter is signed by 12 senior physicians, most of whom serve as department heads at hospitals across Israel.
“We, senior physicians in the public sector, heads of departments and units in hospitals, all of whom share an Arab background, were shocked to learn that there is concern among senior figures in the leadership of the Israeli Medical Association, who hold various positions in the organization, that instituting a direct, secret and democratic election for the post of chair of the Israeli Medical Association could, in your view, result in the election of a physician of Arab origin to head the organization,” they wrote.
“You are so troubled by this possibility that you would physically block any change to the election method for chair of the association. This is not a rumor. At a committee meeting at Meir Medical Center, a senior official in the Israeli Medical Association stated this openly,” the letter said.
The Israeli Medical Association rejected the allegations. “We were surprised and shocked to receive a letter containing severe claims that cast aspersions on the Israeli Medical Association and attribute racist motives to it — claims that are baseless,” the association said in a statement. “For decades, the Israeli Medical Association has worked to promote equality, coexistence and unity among Israel’s physicians. Doctors from all sectors, religions and communities are members of all institutions of the association, and there has never been, nor will there ever be, discrimination on the basis of religion, race, gender or nationality. On the contrary, the Israeli Medical Association consistently fights any attempt to incite, divide or undermine the unity of the physician community.”
The association said it had thoroughly examined the claims following the letter and determined unequivocally that the statements attributed to its officials were untrue. “A malicious and unfounded rumor was spread, intended to sow discord, harm public trust in the Israeli Medical Association and undermine unity among physicians,” the statement said. “The association will continue to act with unity, transparency and fairness on behalf of all physicians, out of a deep commitment to the values of equality, professionalism and solidarity, which are the cornerstones of medicine and of Israeli society.”
Prof. Hagay said, “All my life I have fought and will continue to fight for equality among physicians, caregivers and patients. We all work shoulder to shoulder with one goal: saving lives and providing care to patients. I will not allow the community of physicians to be dragged into divisive discourse, and I will not allow a wedge to be driven between us.”
Prof. Zion Hagay Photo: Yariv KatzElections for chair of the association are not scheduled to take place for another two years. The Israeli Medical Association currently uses a representative electoral system rather than direct elections. In the past, proposals have been raised to change the system, which is considered complex.
Prof. Hagay has served as chair of the association since 2018, succeeding Prof. Leonid Eidelman, who held the post for eight years.