Arab Doctors in Israel Face Rising Racism, Warns Senior Physician
Professor Fuad Azam slammed the rising wave of racism targeting Arab doctors in Israel, criticizing officials for silence and sharing his own encounters with prejudice.
Prominent Israeli fertility specialist Professor Fuad Azam has spoken out about a rising wave of racism targeting Arab medical professionals across the country, following a recent racist incident directed at an Arab doctor at Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh). Speaking in a radio interview with 103fm, Professor Azam described an increasingly intolerable environment for Arab physicians and criticized the medical establishment and government for a lack of official backing.
Comparing the current social climate to the emperor's new clothes, Professor Azam stated that racism has become overt and unmasked at every level of society. He expressed deep disappointment over the silence from political leadership, noting that he expected the Minister of Health to firmly condemn such attacks. He also pointed to alarming media trends, warning that dangerous rhetoric alleging Arab doctors intend to harm patients crosses the line into a form of anti-Arab prejudice.
Reflecting on his own experiences, Professor Azam shared an encounter with a patient in the emergency ward who, unaware of his background, expressed openly racist views before a scheduled procedure. When she declared she would refuse treatment if touched by an Arab doctor, Azam calmly informed her that he was the physician in question. The patient was left in utter shock, though she ultimately chose to remain and proceed with the surgery.
