Key facts
- An Israeli physician, Michal Feldon, called a High Court of Justice hearing regarding a humanitarian corridor for Gaza patients "fascist."
- The petition sought to open a corridor for critically ill patients to transfer from Gaza to the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
- Feldon highlighted specific moments from the hearing, such as the refusal to hear Israeli doctors' statements and the court's rejection of the petition, as evidence of fascism.
- The court recommended that human rights organizations seek third-country acceptance for patients, shifting responsibility away from the state.
An Israeli physician has characterized a High Court of Justice hearing concerning a humanitarian corridor for critically ill patients from Gaza as "another farce of a fascist regime." Michal Feldon, a paediatric rheumatologist, detailed her concerns in a Facebook post, citing seven specific moments from the hearing that she believes reflect "principles of fascism."
The petition, filed by Physicians for Human Rights, aimed to establish a corridor to allow critically ill patients to be transferred from Gaza to the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem for necessary medical treatment. Feldon noted that the judges refused to hear the statements of five senior Israeli Jewish doctors and ultimately rejected the petition.
Feldon also stated that the court suggested that human rights organizations should "pressure third countries to accept patients," implying that the responsibility for saving these lives was private and civilian, rather than a state obligation. The additional sources provided context on broader concerns about the Israeli government's policies, with Israeli Knesset member Ofer Cassif having previously warned of a potential "fascist governance" system and described a "three-pronged attack" involving actions in Gaza, the West Bank, and against Palestinian citizens of Israel. These sources also noted the increasing use of anti-Islam rhetoric by some Israeli political forces in partnership with European far-right parties.