Medical regulator appeals decision clearing doctor of support for terrorism

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Source: BMJ

Original: http://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s337.short?rss=1...

Published: 2026-02-18T05:01:04-08:00

The General Medical Council (GMC) is appealing to the High Court against a tribunal ruling that acquitted British-Palestinian plastic surgeon Ghassan Abu-Sittah of charges of supporting terrorism and the outlawed organization Hamas.[1] The tribunal found last month that the 2018 newspaper article and two Twitter retweets did not show support for violence, terrorism or anti-Semitism.[1] The GMC does not contest the tribunal's finding that the comments in the article were not objectively anti-Semitic.[1] The allegations stemmed from a complaint by pro-Israel group UK Lawyers for Israel about an article in the Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar and two reposts on social media.[1] A spokesman for the GMC said that they are making the appeal after careful consideration in the public interest.[1] Doctor Abu-Sittah is known for his work in conflict zones, including 43 days in Gaza from October 9, 2023 at al-Ahli, al-Shifa and al-Awda hospitals.[1]