The Lancet urges suspension of Israel's doctors' association from the world body

The Lancet, one of the world’s two leading medical journals, called for the suspension of the Israeli Medical Association from the World Medical Association, saying it had failed to condemn what the journal described as the genocide of Palestinians, the destruction of Gaza’s health system, and the torture of detainees.

Ynet reported that 1,150 health professionals signed a petition demanding that the Israeli association be suspended from the global organization. The signatories also want the issue placed on the agenda of the group’s general assembly, which is due to meet in four months.

Prof. Ido Wolf, head of oncology at Ichilov and dean of the medical school at Tel Aviv University, wrote on X that the Lancet piece was “really frightening.” He said the article reports calls to boycott the Israeli Medical Association and that even raising the issue gives legitimacy to boycott efforts.

Wolf added that the boycott would not target only the medical association but the entire Israeli health system, including new drugs, research, cooperation and training. “It will cost lives of patients. They are the ones who will be hurt,” he wrote. The Israeli Medical Association rejected the claims, calling them, “in the best case, lies, and in the worst case, disputed allegations presented as facts,” and said the petition ignores Hamas’s role in Gaza’s health system destruction, including hiding under and inside hospitals and using them as command centers and ammunition depots, in violation of Article 19 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.