In this episode of the podcast of Mada al-Carmel – Arab Center for Applied and Social Research, we discuss a study published by Mada al-Carmel, titled “Silenced Voices and Militarized Spaces: The Aftermath of October 7th and the Persecution of Palestinian Physicians in Israeli Hospitals.” We are joined by our guest, Ghada Majadle, the author of the paper and a researcher specializing in the intersection of health and politics.
The episode examines the role played by the Israeli healthcare system in the war of genocide on Gaza, positioning it as an integral component of the structures of the Israeli regime. According to the study, the healthcare system fulfils this role on multiple levels: firstly, by supporting the war effort; secondly, by repressing Palestinian doctors working in Israeli hospitals; and thirdly, by swaying global public opinion in the aftermath of October 7th, thereby aligning itself with the state’s broader military and political objectives.
We review the study’s findings, which bring to light four main experiences that Palestinian doctors have endured since the start of the war of genocide: silencing and intimidation; structural racism, militarization; and dehumanization. These experiences expose the role of the Israeli healthcare system in erasing Palestinian identity and political agency from its own institutions, despite the fact that Palestinians make up roughly a quarter of its workforce. These health professionals remain effectively marginalized, while their presence within Israel’s healthcare system masks the underlying power dynamics.
Finally, we underscore the importance of the independent representation of Palestinian healthcare providers, without which the system would continue to oppress and marginalize them, not only during times of genocide or political tension, as the study demonstrates, but especially at such moments.
To read the research paper in English, click here
To read the research paper in Arabic, click here
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