As the horrifying genocide continues to unfold in Gaza, numerous civil society groups have vocally condemned the massacre of civilians and the complicity of Western leaders and called for an immediate ceasefire and for boycott. Yet, mainstream mental health associations — including those representing psychologists and psychotherapists — have regrettably been slow to respond. Alarmingly, some have issued statements that outrightly support Israel, while others have chosen a veil of neutrality.
This reluctance starkly contradicts our profession’s ethical commitment to protect life and prevent harm. It thus contributes to the dehumanization of Palestinians, effectively valuing some lives more than others. This is not a new issue; our field has a troubling history of moral evasions and of silencing those who dare to speak out.
Since 2014, we, mental health practitioners from various countries, have united to address the injustices faced by Palestinians. Currently, Palestine Mental Health Networks exist in Palestine, Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. We aim to deepen understanding of the severe impacts of settler colonial oppression on the mental health of Palestinian men, women, and children, to stand in solidarity with Palestinian professionals, and to encourage similar commitments from colleagues and their organizations worldwide. A fundamental aspect of our networks’ mission is to support Palestinian civil society’s call for the non-violent Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, particularly the Palestinian Campaign for Academic and Cultural Boycott (PACBI). Central to this mission is the “Don’t Go” initiative, which urges mental health professionals globally to avoid participating in conferences hosted in Israel or by organizations that support the Israeli occupation due to their ongoing and significant role in undermining Palestinian rights recognized under international law. Together, the international Palestine mental health networks strive to realign the mental health profession with its core values: integrity, equality, and the sanctity of human life.
In May 2024, our networks were informed of the planned participation of renowned American psychoanalyst Dr. Jessica Benjamin in a webinar entitled “From Blindness to Insight” hosted in Tel Aviv by the Contemporary Institute for Psychoanalysis. This institute had yet to publicly address the ongoing war crimes against the Palestinian people, including acts that the International Court of Justice has described as potentially genocidal in Gaza, and widespread pogroms facilitated by the Israeli Occupation Force across the rest of Palestine, which themselves have resulted in the deaths of nearly 500 adults and almost 100 children since October 7. In response, on May 8, 2024, the International Palestine Mental Health Network contacted Dr. Benjamin, urging her not to attend the event and to lend her support to the non-violent resistance movement, BDS. The Networks were delighted to receive a response from Dr. Benjamin (live link to her first letter). She noted in the letter that “after serious thinking … concluded that [she] must, indeed, withdraw from participating in the seminar.” Dr. Benjamin added that she was unwilling “to give any kind of legitimacy to the institutions that deny the horrible violence [against Palestinians] of their government and its acceptance or (more likely) approval by their people.”
Dr. Benjamin also wrote to Palestinians living within the borders of the land stolen in 1948. In the letter, she acknowledges the daily agony the Palestinians there must feel having to watch the slaughter of their people in Gaza and underscores how traumatic it must be to be under the oppressive rule of the government and the splits encountered in daily life.
Dr. Benjamin’s decisive support for the Palestine Mental Health Networks’ “Don’t Go” movement at this historical moment is especially meaningful in the context of the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the escalating threats to the lives, livelihoods, and well-being of Palestinians in the West Bank and elsewhere. Dr. Benjamin’s action in withdrawing from the Tel Aviv event serves as an inspiration to us all — since now, more than ever, individuals of goodwill around the world are called upon to take action within their civic societies and their governments in protest against the ongoing horrors inflicted on the people of Palestine.
Dr. Benjamin’s courageous withdrawal from the Tel Aviv event is inspirational, reminding us that now, more than ever, global citizens of conscience are summoned to voice their protest against the persistent horrors inflicted upon the Palestinian people.
We urge professionals and their organizations worldwide to emulate Dr. Benjamin’s commitment and to uphold our core professional ethics by explicitly refusing to collude, either actively or passively, with genocide, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid. Our professional integrity is grounded in the principle of “Do No Harm,” which mandates anti-racist practices and the obligation to confront stark inequities, abuses of power, and dehumanization.
We recognize the many challenges faced by those who wish to adopt a clear ethical stance, among them pleas to avoid taking strong positions that might lessen the possibilities for dialogue. Like Dr Benjamin, we greatly value dialogue and outreach across differences. However, we also recognize that the current context does not favor such engagement. Within institutional settings, prioritizing dialogue over the imperative to address mass murder and colonial oppression effectively amounts to complicity.
We understand the fears of those who, in speaking out against genocide, risk being mislabeled as antisemitic, face organizational backlash for causing discomfort to colleagues, or endure professional repercussions. We stand ready to support all who, while adhering to their professional ethics, confront these silencing tactics.
We invite you to consider the following responses to the usual rhetoric we receive when we speak out against injustice in Palestine.
Taking a position is political: Advocating for human rights and justice transcends political boundaries and is a fundamental ethical obligation.
It makes some members uncomfortable: Upholding ethical standards and confronting injustices, even when uncomfortable, is essential for meaningful change.
Risk of antisemitism accusations“*: It is crucial to distinguish between criticism of state policies and antisemitism. Our network’s previous work on this topic, including our paper on antisemitism, can provide further clarity and support.
The need to be even-handed: Calling for accountability from all parties does not preclude recognizing the disproportionate impacts and injustices.
Risk to loss of funding or complaints: Ethical integrity should not be compromised by financial or social pressures. Standing for justice is our paramount duty and collective action is essential to protect those who are made vulnerable by speaking out.
The demand to condemn the Hamas attacks of October 7. It is possible to take a strong position against condoning violence and abuse, whoever the perpetrator, without colluding with racism in the assumption that Israeli lives have a higher value than those of Palestinians.
For each of these arguments, further resources and detailed responses are available, including position statements and analyses previously drafted and endorsed by our networks which can be found on their websites.
In particular, Pal Global urges members of mental health professional organizations to adopt clear position statements, prioritizing the issue of genocide in Palestine as the most urgent concern. This moment calls for an immediate ceasefire, but also for a broader acknowledgment of the longstanding crimes committed against the Palestinian people since 1948, inherent in the settler colonial framework of the Zionist state. We advocate for the application of equal human rights and justice for all citizens in Israel/Palestine.
We call for a united front to champion universal freedom and human rights, and to reject the exceptionalism afforded to Israel along with the stark denial of these rights for Palestinians. This effort must originate from civil society, given the shameful ongoing failure of governments and international bodies to act whilst the wholesale slaughter of Palestinians continues unabated and unrestrained.
