Doctors demand suspension of Israeli Medical Association at WMA summit

Hundreds of doctors gathered outside the World Medical Association (WMA) summit in Rotterdam, Netherlands, to demand the suspension of the Israeli Medical Association (IMA) from the global organization.

The protest, organized by the IMA Out! coalition, featured 81 healthcare workers hanging empty scrubs bearing the names of Palestinian medical professionals currently held in Israeli detention. Organizers accused the IMA of breaching the WMA’s Code of Medical Ethics by remaining silent during the destruction of healthcare infrastructure in Gaza.

Mejrem Ahmetaj, a general practitioner and member of IMA Out!, stated that the IMA is not a bystander but is instead defending attacks and blocking international condemnation. Since October 2023, more than 1,700 Palestinian healthcare workers have been killed and most hospitals in the Gaza enclave have been destroyed.