BC Physicians Against Genocide is inviting you to a virtual panel “Break The Chains: Ending Israel’s Illegal Detention of Palestinian Health Care Workers” taking place on Tuesday June 9th at 7:00 – 8:30PM.

We will be hearing first-hand accounts of Palestinian health care workers (HCW) who were illegally detained in Israeli prisons during the ongoing genocide. They will describe their first-hand experience and the stories of their detained colleagues, including Dr. Hussam Abu Safieh, 400 HCW abducted since Oct 7th, 2023, over 83 of whom remain arbitrarily detained in Israeli prisons to this day. One of the speakers currently works to advocate for these colleagues and their families as they await the release of their loved ones.Proceeds from this event will go to supporting this work.

The health care workers will be joined by Dr. Samah Jabr. Dr. Jabr, is a consultant psychiatrist practicing in Palestine, serving communities in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, and the former Head of the Mental Health Unit within the Palestinian Ministry of Health. She is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University in Washington DC. Dr. Jabr is the author of many books, including her most recent Radiance in Pain and Resilience. Dr. Jabr, will highlight the Istanbul Protocol. This protocol focuses on the effective investigation into and documentation of torture and ill-treatment to ensure the collected evidence will be considered by the International Courts of Justice. Dr. Jabr will also elaborate about what solidarity could look like through the lens of Palestinian health care workers.

Canadian Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Deirdre Nunan, who has spent nearly 2 years working in Gaza, including having worked there on 3 occasions, will be sharing about the status of the international health care organizations and the restrictions they have been facing. Dr. Nunan has spent much of the past decade working in international humanitarian contexts, including Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

In addition, we will be joined by a representative of Amnesty International (TBD) who will give an overview of Israel’s illegal detention and ill-treatment of Palestinian health care workers.

• Proceeds will go to support advocacy initiatives for illegally incarcerated health care workers and provide basic needs for their families.

Please invite healthcare workers and others to hear this powerful panel and please reach out if you would like us to offer someone a COMP ticket. (bcpagteam@gmail.com) No one will be turned away for lack of funds, email us if you would like a free ticket.

BC Physicians Against Genocide is a network of physicians in British Columbia that organizes to support Palestinian human rights, condemn Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the deliberate targeting of Gazan hospitals, physicians and healthcare workers. BC PAG is a signatory to Apartheid - Free Communities, joining hundreds of Canadian and global communities to stand up for the Palestinian Human Rights and the dismantling of the Apartheid regime inflicted on the people of Palestine.

—---------------------------------------------

BC PAG is organizing this event in collaboration with:

BC Nurses for Social Justice

Vancouver Health Care Workers for Palestine

BC Health Care Workers For Palestine

Victoria Health Care Workers Against Genocide

Apartheid Free Communities

Amnesty International

Ismailis For Palestine

Trinity Grace United Church

Independent Jewish Voices Vancouver