New York Physician Dismissed Over Anti-Zionist Comments and Support for Resistance
A New York City physician has been dismissed after facing criticism over remarks condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon as genocidal and expressing support for resistance groups, following pressure exerted by the city council.
Dr. Lila Abassi, serving as an assistant professor of medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, was terminated earlier this month following an investigation into a sequence of pro-Palestine online posts, confirmed by a spokesperson for the hospital this week.
Abassi, aged 46, has publicly voiced her approval for Hamas and Hezbollah through her posts, describing them as “noble resistance and freedom fighters.” She characterized the Israeli military as a “plague” and criticized Israel for “slaughtering babies.” Additionally, she dismissed any allegations of rape during Hamas’s retaliatory operation, Al-Aqsa Flood (Storm), which took place on October 7, 2023.
A Facebook group for medical professionals saw a controversial post by an individual using the pseudonym “Kluver Bucy,” a reference to a rare neurological disorder. The post, attributed to Abassi, made a request for an actual video of sexual assault.
She claimed that Israel was accountable for “massacring more people on October 7 than those killed by Hamas.”
After enduring weeks of pressure from Brooklyn City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, Abassi faced termination following an initial directive to delete her social media account.
Councilwoman Vernikov has called for stricter penalties following the discovery of Abassi’s controversial posts.
Vernikov, known for her strong pro-Israeli and Trump-aligned views, asserted that Abassi’s endorsement of resistance groups contributed to a sense of insecurity among Jewish patients under her care.
Following the reports, Mount Sinai launched an investigation that resulted in Dr. Abassi’s termination, as stated by the hospital’s spokesperson.
Dr. Abassi, holding both an MD and MPH, earned her medical degree from St. George’s University in 2011. She completed her residency at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
She is the author of the book titled “Does ‘Excess’ Dietary Salt Cause Cardiovascular Toxicity?”
