This week, at its annual representative meeting in Liverpool, the British Medical Association (BMA) adopted a set of key resolutions affirming the rights of medical students and professionals to advocate for Gaza and to criticise any state or institution that violates international law.
The resolutions condemn the destruction of healthcare in Gaza by Israel and call for the release of arbitrarily detained Palestinian health workers.
The BMA resolutions also addressed concerns within the UK medical community about penalisation and censorship of advocates, especially in academic and clinical settings.
The resolutions call for the BMA to actively protect members’ rights to speak up, and to develop policies that “differentiate rightful advocacy for Palestine while protecting Jewish people”.
These resolutions follow months of pressure from British doctors, students, and advocacy groups, and stand in stark contrast to the cautious position of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) – and the “inadequate and insufficient action” of many other Australian medical bodies.