London Doctor Faces Disciplinary Tribunal for Controversial Tweets

A senior paediatrician at a London hospital, Dr Ellen Kriesels, has been referred to a disciplinary tribunal by the General Medical Council (GMC) following her public support for Hamas. The GMC, the UK’s medical regulator, is investigating her statements made on social media where she expressed controversial views regarding the conflict in Gaza and the Jewish community.

Dr Kriesels, a consultant at Whittington Hospital in North London, has made several posts defending Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by multiple countries. In one of her tweets from August, she stated, “Some Jews… say [October 7] was a pogrom… Other Jews… say that it was antisemitic. Always trying to frame the Jews as victims. So ridiculous. So excruciating. So exhausting.”

In her online commentary, she differentiated between civilians and members of Hamas, arguing that even if they constitute a small percentage of those killed in Gaza, they should not be considered legitimate targets. “Do not whitewash the murder of Hamas members. They are a political party and oppressed resistance fighters. NOT terrorists,” she claimed.

Controversial Statements and Public Protests

In addition to her online expression of support for Hamas, Dr Kriesels has participated in several pro-Palestine demonstrations. At one event, she was photographed holding a sign that read: “Rape, steal, cry, kill, cheat, lie,” along with an Israeli flag. Her posts also included claims about the Jewish community, asserting that most Jews subscribe to an ideology of “Jewish supremacy.” She stated, “Jewish supremacy is the ideology at the root of all this evil.”

Due to the backlash from her statements and actions, Dr Kriesels was reportedly suspended from her position at the hospital last month. The GMC has scheduled a tribunal hearing for November 14, 2023, to assess whether she will be permitted to continue her medical practice.

A spokesperson from the Whittington NHS Health Trust confirmed that they are aware of the concerns raised about Dr Kriesels. “The employee concerned is not currently scheduled to be working at the Trust. However, it would not be appropriate to comment further on a confidential internal management issue,” the spokesperson stated. They emphasized that the care of the local community remains the top priority and asserted that there is no tolerance for discrimination within the organization.

The GMC has declined to provide further details regarding the upcoming tribunal. Dr Kriesels has been contacted for comment, but no response has been made public as of yet.

This case highlights ongoing tensions surrounding discussions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and raises important questions about the responsibilities of medical professionals in expressing political opinions publicly.