UK doctor reports colleagues said they would refuse to treat dying Israelis

In response to the allegations, the government ordered an urgent independent review into antisemitism.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

A Jewish doctor working in London said colleagues told him they would refuse to treat Israeli patients, including in life-threatening emergency situations, prompting condemnation from British health authorities and a series of government actions aimed at addressing antisemitism within the National Health Service.

Speaking to ITV News, the physician said he had encountered colleagues who stated they would not provide medical care to Israelis under any circumstances. He described the comments as “shameful.”

“It really scares me that I’ve met doctors who said they would not directly treat someone who came from certain parts of the world,” he said. “If someone is dying in an emergency room and he is from Israel — there were doctors who told me they would not treat him. I think that is shameful,” he said.

The doctor also pointed to broader concerns involving Jewish patients and staff within the healthcare system, including reports that some patients had been denied kosher meals.

According to reports, the London-based doctor has decided to leave the United Kingdom and move to Israel with his family.

The physician cited both workplace experiences and antisemitic harassment in public life as factors behind the decision.

The allegations drew a strong response from the UK Department of Health, which described the reported incidents as “shocking” and “unacceptable.”

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the government would take a “zero-tolerance approach” to antisemitism within the NHS.

In response to the allegations, the government ordered an urgent independent review into antisemitism and institutional racism across the healthcare network. The review will be led by Lord Mann.

Officials have also criticized existing medical regulatory mechanisms, arguing they have failed to adequately protect Jewish patients and healthcare workers.

As part of the response, legislation is being revised to permit the immediate suspension of doctors accused of racist misconduct while investigations are ongoing.

The developments come amid broader concerns about antisemitism in the healthcare system and the treatment of Jewish patients and staff.