UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A tribunal suspended Dr Ellen Kriesels for nine months after finding she displayed an allegedly anti-Semitic sign and posted remarks that alarmed patients.
As reported by The Telegraph, a tribunal revealed that NHS doctor Dr Ellen Kriesels referred to Hamas as oppressed fighters while displaying an allegedly anti-Semitic sign at a pro-Palestinian protest.
How did NHS doctor Dr Ellen Kriesels spark controversy?
A picture showed Dr Ellen Kriesels holding a placard depicting the Israeli flag with the words
“rape, steal, cry, kill, cheat, lie.”
Her social media posts included repeated claims that Jews were “supreme” and that Judaism was a “racist, imperialist, and genocidal faith.”
According to her statements, Hamas was a political party, its members were “oppressed resistance fighters, not terrorists,” and she said yellow ribbons for Israeli hostages were a
“visual sign of Jewish supremacy.”
Dr Kriesels, who works as a developmental paediatrician at Whittington Hospital, faced a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing in Manchester on Friday, 14 November.
The tribunal ordered a nine-month suspension for Dr Kriesels, citing concerns that her ability to practise posed a
“real risk to the public and could adversely affect the public interest.”
It found that members of the public might perceive Dr Kriesels as holding “biased views,” which could make patients hesitant to seek treatment, and concluded she “could pose a real risk to public safety.”
What did the GMC lawyer say about complaints against Dr Kriesels?
The General Medical Council moved to suspend Dr Kriesels for 18 months, raising concerns about both patient safety and public confidence in her work.
Speaking for the GMC, Ms Isobel Thomas said the council had received a complaint from the UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) regarding Dr Kriesels.
She said the hospital trust received over 1,500 emails, with many patients accusing Dr Kriesels of “anti-Semitic and racist” behaviour.
Ms Thomas said that colleagues had expressed unease about working with Dr Kriesels, prompting the hospital trust to launch a preliminary investigation and suspend her in September. A police complaint was also made, but no action was taken.
She said the trust had asked Dr Kriesels to remove the posts, but she refused. When asked about the placard, the doctor insisted she was “only expressing facts.”
The tribunal heard that Dr Kriesels displayed the placard at several rallies, including one organised by the Palestine Coalition in central London.
She claimed in one of her posts,
“Most Jews, Zionist or not, centre their Jewish identity in the midst of this genocide which is ‘proof’ of supremacy.”
Commenting on the Hamas terror attack on Israel on Oct 7, 2023 she stated,
“Some Jews ‘merely’ say it was a progrom [sic]. Other Jews ‘merely’ say that it was antisemitic. Always trying to frame the Jews as victims. So ridiculous. So excruciating. So exhausting.”
Responding to a remark by the actress Miriam Margolyes about Gaza that “Hitler won; he changed us”, Dr Kriesels added,
“Why mention your sense of victimhood AT ALL when your fellow Jews are committing a gleeful genocide.”
Ms Thomas stated,
“Her anti-Semitic views may impact on her ability to provide safe care to members of the population. Jewish families may be concerned they will not receive impartial care from her.”
She said an 18-month suspension was needed to protect the public, noting that Dr Kriesels had no protection under the European Convention on Human Rights to make anti-Semitic or racist comments.
According to Dr Kriesels, her conduct was “anti-Zionist” rather than racist or anti-Semitic, and she acted in a personal capacity, not as an NHS doctor.
The tribunal heard that Dr Kriesels faced “orchestrated harassment,” and the allegations caused concerns about her personal safety.
In her testimony, Dr Kriesels said she had been deeply affected by the “genocide” in Gaza and described Israeli actions as “horrifying.”
She said,
“I believe Zionism results in terrorism for Palestinians and Zionism should be demolished.”
According to her, the GMC must protect medical professionals against “vexatious accusations” and refrain from policing freedom of speech.
Richard O’Dair, the doctor’s counsel, argued that Dr Kriesels’ 14-year career had been complaint-free, and a suspension over her Gaza comments would have a “chilling effect” on free speech and colleagues.
A GMC spokesman added,
“The Interim Orders Tribunal has agreed with our submission and suspended Dr Kriesels’ registration while we continue our investigation into her fitness to practise. Our focus is to complete our investigation swiftly, fairly and proportionately.”
What did Keir Starmer say about racism in the NHS?
Last month, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called for a review of antisemitism in the NHS, saying “clear cases” are not being adequately addressed.
He said,
“The discrimination staff and patients have faced because of their race or religion goes against everything our country stands for.”
The prime minister stated,
“The NHS was built on the principle that everyone should be treated equally and with respect, and I am determined to restore this to the heart of the health service.”
He added,
“We’ve already put in place management training in relation to the NHS, but I think we need a wider review, because in some cases, clear cases are simply not being dealt with, and so we need to get to the root of that.”
What did Wes Streeting say about antisemitism in the NHS?
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said,
“The NHS should be there for all of us when we need it – regardless of income, race or religion. Discrimination undermines everything our health service stands for and undermines its ability to provide quality care.”
He stated,
“I have been appalled by recent incidents of antisemitism by NHS doctors, and I will not tolerate it. There can be no place in our NHS for doctors or staff continuing to practise after even persistently using antisemitic or hateful language.”
Mr Streeting added,
“Patients put their lives in the hands of healthcare professionals. They treat us at our most vulnerable. They therefore have a special responsibility to provide total comfort and confidence. I am grateful to Lord Mann for taking on this work. I expect his recommendations, and the action we are taking today, to help us enforce a zero-tolerance policy to racism in healthcare.”
How many antisemitic incidents were reported in the UK in 2025?
1,521 antisemitic incidents were recorded across the UK in 2025, the second-highest total ever for a six-month period, with over 200 incidents per month on average.
More than half (779) of these incidents were directly linked to the Israel-Gaza conflict, showing a significant rise in conflict-related antisemitism compared to previous years.
There were 76 violent assaults reported, including three cases classified as “Extreme Violence.”