A doctor who was temporarily suspended after being falsely accused of praising a Palestinian terror suspect under his care quit his job at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem on Thursday.

Dr. Ahmad Mahajneh, a resident at Hadassah Medical Center Ein Kerem, was found to be innocent over the October 26 incident after an investigation by the hospital, and was subsequently returned to work in January.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Mahajneh explained his decision to now resign, saying he was “politically persecuted, and faced a systematic racist incitement campaign” when the false story broke to the public.

Mahajneh was accused of giving patient Muhammad Abu Qatish, 16, a plate of treats, congratulating him, and calling him a “shahid,” or martyr. Abu Qatish seriously wounded an Israeli man in a stabbing attack on October 22, in the Jewish East Jerusalem neighborhood of Givat HaMivtar, according to Israeli authorities.

He also reportedly clashed verbally with a police officer who demanded to know who had given Abu Qatish the treats and ordered him to identify himself.

The accusations were initially broadcast by the right-wing group Betsalmo — following a report by Israel Hayom — which then retracted them and called for Mahajneh to be reinstated. Media reports initially relied on the apparently fabricated version of events, sparking outrage on social media, with some users threatening the doctor.

Upon returning to work, Mahajneh said he no longer felt comfortable in the work environment and decided to leave the hospital.

“Here today, I am sharing my decision with you, tomorrow morning I will begin a new career path. I will not be at Hadassah Hospital, and this will be my last word,” he wrote.

Khaled Mahajneh, the doctor’s lawyer and brother, wrote in a statement that the resident returned to the medical center “with his head held high, with strength and pride, despite the injustice,” and made the decision to quit himself.

There was no immediate comment from the hospital.

In November, Mahajneh told The Times of Israel that he had never supported terrorism in his life, and that “terrorists deserve to be punished.”

Do you rely on The Times of Israel for accurate and insightful news on Israel and the Jewish world? If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6/month, you will:

We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.

That’s why we started the Times of Israel eleven years ago - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.

So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.

For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.

Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel

QOSHE - Doctor falsely accused of praising terrorist quits job at Hadassah hospital - Toi Staff
menu_open
Columnists Actual . Favourites . Archive
We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close
Aa Aa Aa
- A +

Doctor falsely accused of praising terrorist quits job at Hadassah hospital

29 1
31.03.2023

A doctor who was temporarily suspended after being falsely accused of praising a Palestinian terror suspect under his care quit his job at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem on Thursday.

Dr. Ahmad Mahajneh, a resident at Hadassah Medical Center Ein Kerem, was found to be innocent over the October 26 incident after an investigation by the hospital, and was subsequently returned to work in January.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Mahajneh explained his decision to now resign, saying he was “politically persecuted, and faced a systematic racist incitement campaign” when the false story broke to the public.

Mahajneh was accused of giving patient Muhammad Abu Qatish, 16, a plate of treats, congratulating him, and calling him a “shahid,” or martyr. Abu Qatish seriously wounded........

© The Times of Israel


Get it on Google Play