Hundreds of Doctors Protest at WMA Summit, Demanding Suspension of Israeli Medical Association

Hundreds of medical professionals gathered outside the World Medical Association (WMA) summit in the Netherlands to demand the suspension of the Israeli Medical Association (IMA) from the international physician grouping.

During the demonstration, 81 healthcare workers removed their scrubs and hung them in a line facing the WMA assembly in Rotterdam. Each set of scrubs bore the name of a Palestinian healthcare worker currently held in illegal Israeli detention. Organized by the IMA Out! coalition, the protest aimed to challenge the continued membership of the Israeli association in the WMA, which organizers argue violates the WMA's Code of Medical Ethics.

Mejrem Ahmetaj, a general practitioner and member of IMA Out!, stated, "These scrubs should not be empty. Our colleagues belong with their patients, not in Israeli prisons. Today, we literally placed their names at the WMA’s doorstep." The campaign accuses the IMA of remaining silent and complicit while Palestinian healthcare infrastructure has been systematically destroyed and thousands of healthcare workers have been killed or detained.

Jonathan Fluxman, speaking on behalf of IMA OUT!, criticized decades of WMA dialogue with the IMA, stating it has only provided a sense of impunity. The campaign delivered a petition signed by more than 6,500 health workers globally, calling for the suspension of the IMA and demanding accountability for the treatment of Palestinian prisoners.

Protesters also highlighted the case of Dr Hussam Abu Safia, head of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, whose unlawful detention has sparked international outcry. Addressing the campaign's meeting, Dr Abu Safia’s son Elyas emphasized that all detainees must be treated in accordance with medical ethics and the Hippocratic oath.