World Medical Association: Reinstate Israeli Medical Students Group immediately!

The World Medical Association (WMA) has issued a forceful call for the International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA) to reverse its controversial August suspension of Israeli members.

The WMA's statement, released Tuesday, strongly criticized the "extraordinary suspension" of the Federation of Israeli Medical Students (FIMS), emphasizing that allegations of harassment used to justify the action lacked both substantial evidence and proper due process.

"We believe that in the absence of clear evidence and due process, the suspension of FIMS from the IFMSA remains unjustified," the WMA declared in its statement, adding, "We therefore urge immediate readmission of FIMS without prejudice."

The suspension, which occurred during IFMSA's General Assembly meeting in Finland on August 6, passed with a two-thirds majority vote. IFMSA claimed the action was taken in response to "threats against medical students, online harassment, and hate speech."

However, FIMS president Miri Shvimmer revealed in an August 12 statement that the organization's suspension came after FIMS condemned an IFMSA official's social media post supporting the October 7 Hamas massacre. Shvimmer detailed serious procedural irregularities during the vote, including the shutdown of livestream recording and the muting of certain voters.

"For many years, we have experienced extreme animosity within the organization, and our removal has been the desire of many members, as was emphasized by the mass celebrations after the vote," Shvimmer stated.

While IFMSA announced on November 24 that it would review its suspension procedures, the organization has not provided a timeline for FIMS's readmission or acknowledged any potential impropriety in its actions. The WMA noted this omission in its statement, suggesting that more concrete steps toward resolution are necessary.

The suspension requires a two-thirds majority vote for reversal, leading FIMS officials to express skepticism about near-term reinstatement prospects.

JPost contributed to this article.