We Stand behind the Ophthalmological Society of South Africa’s Withdrawal of Dr Didi Fabian’s Invitation
Recently, the Ophthalmological Society of South Africa (OSSA) invited an Israeli speaker, Didi Fabian from Sheba Hospital in Tel Aviv, to speak on retinoblastoma at their conference in February. Due to objections and in line with the principles of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), this invitation was later withdrawn.
In response, Dr Fabian has defended his name, writing about the work he has done treating Palestinians, including patients evacuated from Gaza. Given what seems to be his profound appreciation for human wellbeing – and his genuinely egalitarian stance, one might expect him to understand why he should not be included as a keynote speaker in international conferences. It is only by way of a concerted boycott of all Israeli establishments that we can hope to end Israel’s gross violations of fundamental human rights.
The Israeli medical establishment is very much complicit in Israel’s violations. There are reports of doctors actually facilitating torture in several detention centres. Such doctors are current incarnations of the Nazi ones of the past. There are others who have signed petitions supporting the genocide in Gaza. Still others have simply kept their silence, allowing crimes against humanity to occur – helping to create the conditions under which such can thrive.
The fact is that Dr Fabian, despite his individual acts of humanity as a doctor, is director of ophthalmology at a hospital that is deeply integrated at all levels with the Israeli army and collaborates with it in its genocide of Palestinians. He has not opposed this relationship, condemned the ongoing genocide, nor denounced Zionism as a whole. Lastly, as we understand it, Dr Fabian, like most Israelis, has served in the army, therefore contributing to the repression of Palestinian life.
We as SAJFP support the boycott of any individual who collaborates with the Israeli army – either directly or through their institutional affiliations. We reject the accusation that such boycotts are antisemitic and we affirm that the struggle against Zionism and against the oppressive state of Israel is not an attack on Jews in general, but simply a rejection of the ideology of Jewish supremacy.
As SAJFP, we therefore support the withdrawal of Dr Fabian’s invitation and look forward to an end to Zionism, which would of course remove the need for any boycott and allow Dr Fabian to participate in conferences around the world, without objection.
Media inquiries: [email protected], or Rina King: 082 854 5692