The government sanctioned persecution of British Palestinian anti-genocide medic Dr. Rahmeh Aladwan continued Thursday.

A Tribunal agreed with the General Medical Council (GMC) to continue investigations into her entirely legitimate social media activity.

The GMC initiated the politically motivated witch-hunt after Zionists—led by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) and Jewish Medical Association (UK)—and backed by Labour government Health Secretary Wes Streeting, complained about Dr. Aladwan’s social media posts opposing the genocide of the Palestinians and destruction of Gaza by Israel.

Following a previous Tribunal—held September 25—that found no need for any order against her, a GMC case examiner brought together social media posts by Dr. Aladwan from September 29 to October 2 as the basis of referring her to the Interim Orders Tribunal (IOT).

At the October 23 hearing in Manchester, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) agreed that a second tribunal would go ahead which could result in Dr. Aladwan—a National Health Service doctor of seven years with an impeccable record—losing her license to practise.

The MPTS ruling therefore overturned the previous tribunal decision, made less than a month ago, called as the result of the GMC’s investigation over the doctor’s social media posts. The decision of that tribunal said it did not believe the complaints against Dr. Aladwan were “sufficient to establish that there may be a real risk to patients” and ruled that she had done nothing to “undermine public confidence in the medical profession.”

Arriving at the hearing Dr. Aladwan told the WSWS, “I have been summoned here by the General Medical Council, more commonly referred to now as the Genocide Medical Council, unfortunately. It is only four weeks since I was summoned here for exactly these allegations, it is my social media postings, it is my support for the Palestinians to resist under international law… and mostly really it’s the GMC buckling to the pressure of the Israeli lobby and the MPs such as [Labour government Health and Social Care Secretary] Wesley Streeting who are funded by them and who are making comments.

“There’s been a huge media smear campaign, corruption and collusions between all these institutions who have been subverted by the Israeli lobby to just take my license away or silence me.”

At the tribunal Dr. Aladwan was denied the right to ask questions directly of the Tribunal members and GMC counsel.

Representing the GMC, Emma Gilsenan said that this Tribunal was not bound by the decision of the previous tribunal to allow Dr. Aladwan to ask questions and that any questions from her this time should be posed by her legal representative

Speaking on behalf of Dr. Aladwan, Kevin Saunders, instructed by Zillur Rahman of Rahman Lowe Solicitors, said that at the last Tribunal the questions posed were to establish if there was any conflict of interest. They were to establish if any of the panel had links to pro-Israel groups or Zionist groups, and if anyone present, or their family had had any connections with the IOF (Israel Occupation Forces). They also wished to establish if the GMC’s counsel were members of the UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), or if they had any communications with the UKLFI or other pro-Israeli groups.

Saunders said that the material cited in Dr. Aladwan case was of political importance and that it would be “naive if not disingenuous” to pretend that it was not “politically charged”.

The Tribunal responded that there was no conflict of interest based on the questions asked, but that Dr. Aladwan should, personally, not be permitted to ask questions.

The main contention of Dr. Aladwan was that the attempt to hold the present tribunal was an “abuse of process” and an “affront to the rule of law”, Saunders said: “This is mere regurgitation of the matters that were previously litigated. This is a perversion of procedure and an attempt to relitigate until the General Medical Council, and those placing pressure on the General Medical Council, achieve the result they desire. This is, on any view, a brazen attempt to keep relitigating this matter before a tribunal until the General Medical Council gets the result it wants.”

Saunders noted the unprecedented intervention of Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting—who denounced the September 25 Tribunal ruling in Dr Aladwan’s favour—saying it would be “implausible to contend” that last’s month ruling did not provoke a “political reaction”.

He added, “It ill behoves Wes Streeting to seek to undermine the rule of law and the determination of an objective independent tribunal.”

Gilsenan denied that re-referring the already cleared Dr. Aladwan to an IOT was due to “external pressure”. It was a “necessary and proportionate referral,” claiming that with her September 29-October social media posts the doctor’s behaviour “takes on a new tone” and “suggests a continuation and doubling down of concerning conduct”.

Saunders explained that there was nothing within the 12 pages of material gathered by the GMC case examiner that was materially distinct, and which would allow the present Tribunal to reach any different conclusion than the previous one.

Saunders cited the submissions made on behalf Dr. Aladwan in the previous hearing, stating that she was a Palestinian doctor and her social media posts were separate from her clinical practice, which was exemplary. Dr. Aladwan was posting material on social media to express resistance to a regime persecuting her own people, including family members and friends. No evidence had ever been presented or complaints made that her social media postings had any impact on patient safety or her ability to fulfil her duties as a doctor, he said.

Saunders stated that Dr. Aladwan contended that pressure was brought on the GMC to continue to pursue a campaign against her, threatening the loss of her medical license to practise. This included the social media posting on October 6 by the Campaign Against Antisemitism threatening to take legal action in pursuit of a judicial review of the Tribunal decision that cleared Dr. Aladwan.

Saunders also stated that Streeting commented on and criticised the decision to clear Dr. Aladwan and the present Tribunal had a duty to “eschew” political pressure surrounding the proceeding, in accordance with the principles of fairness.

MPTS interim orders tribunal chair Lee Davies completely sided with the GMC, ruling that there was no abuse of process and that the hearing should go ahead.

Refusing the request for a stay of proceedings, the Tribunal Decision reads that following the last Tribunal, “Since then a GMC case examiner, having reviewed additional information, referred the matter to a new Tribunal. This Tribunal understands that this is within their power to do and that the role of this IOT is to make a fresh assessment of risk. It considered that this was fair and what the public would expect.”

This is a perverse decision, which must be opposed by every health care worker and the entire working class. What is taking place is not a Tribunal but a political show trial.

The essential issue involved is the lie that a doctor opposing genocide means that there is a danger to public health.

The government acting in collusion with Zionist groups to persecute Dr. Aladwan is led by a Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, who has declared that he is a “Zionist, without qualification”—who at the outset of the genocide said that Israel had the right to deny water and the essentials of life to the Palestinians—a war crime under international law.