In the past 3 years, we have seen millions around the world stand against injustice and demand an end to the occupation of Palestine. Despite this we have witnessed the israeli occupying force intensify its decades-long assault on Palestinians, violently advancing its goal of extinguishing the ability for Palestinians to live.
From 7-10 October, the World Medical Association will hold her General Assembly at the Postillion Convention Center WTC in Rotterdam.
The IMA Out! international movement advocates upholding WMA’s own medical ethical guidelines and humanitarian law by suspending the IMA’s membership from the WMA.
The movement was formed by Healthcare Workers for Palestine (US), Doctors Against Genocide (US), Global Health BDS for Palestine (UK), Sanitari per Gaza (Italy), Jewish Voice for Peace – Health Advisory Council (JVP-HAC, US), Doctors for Gaza / Artsen voor Gaza (Netherlands) and the People's Health Movement.
Join us as we take the debate beyond the WMA conference halls with speakers who have sometimes been involved for decades in fighting against colonialism and towards a free Palestine and the role of the IMA.
Additionally, help us take a stance against the IMA’s grave violations of ethics and Human rights on Saturday October 10th at 11:00am at the Postillion Convention Center WTC in Rotterdam, where we will repeat our message loud and clear.
Programme
Speakers
- Omar Barghouti is a Palestinian human rights defender and a co-founder of the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights. He will reflect on the importance and effect of applying BDS to Israëli institutions such as the IMA.
- Hussein Shomar is a Palestinian surgeon from Gaza and Senior Consultant in General and Laparoscopic Surgery in Germany. He has extensive experience in war surgery and supports healthcare in Gaza and Palestinian refugee camps. and leads surgical training and development initiatives.
- Ang Swee Chai is an orthopaedic and trauma surgeon and co-founder of Medical Aid for Palestinians. She has worked for decades alongside Palestinian communities living under occupation. She will discuss the path towards WMA suspension of the IMA.
- Mvuyisi Mzukwa is a general practitioner and Chairperson of the South African Medical Association (SAMA). He will share why SAMA broke ties with the IMA and call on other medical associations to follow suit.
- Aziz Rhali is a pharmacist, human rights defender and Global Coordinator of the People's Health Movement. He will reflect on the right to health, medical ethics and our duty as health professionals to act.
- Marcelia Theron is a South African physician and Healthcare activist. She is a member of the Global Anti-Apartheid Movement and has worked with Healthcare Workers 4 Palestine South Africa. She speaks as a vocal supporter for the call to expel the IMA to preserve the global standards of medical ethics.
- Derek Summerfield is a psychiatrist and longstanding medical ethics advocate. He will examine the IMA's complicity in the attacks on Palestinian healthcare and its healthcare workers and argue for IMA's suspsension from the WMA.
- Hanne Bosselaers is a GP from Belgium, a member of Medicine for the People, with longstanding involvement in solidarity initiatives for Palestinian Healthcare, including the Global Sumud Flotilla. She will speak on the role and responsibility of the medical community.
- Jeff Handmaker is an Associate Professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam and specialized in human rights and international law. He will address the destruction of Healthcare in Palestine and its legal implications under international humanitarian law
With personal messages from:
- Samah Jabr is a Palestinian psychiatrist, psychotherapist and writer, and former Head of the Mental Health Unit in the Ministry of Health, Palestine. She has written columns about the psychological consequences of the Israeli occupation in Palestine since the 2000s and will pronounce an oath of mental health professionals and healthcare workers for liberation.
- Feroze Sidwha is a trauma surgeon in California who has worked most extensively in Palestine, but also in Ukraine, Haiti, Zimbabwe, and Burkina Faso. He features in the recently published documentary ‘American Doctor’ and will elaborate on the position of medical associations in the United States in political conflicts.
See you in October!
