More than 100 doctors and medical staff lobbied outside the Boston Medical Complex on Friday for the largest medical organization in the USA to oppose the “genocide” unfolding in Gaza.
Healthcare Workers for Palestine and the Committee of Interns and Residents’ (CIR) local union chapter were among those campaigning for the American Medical Association (AMA) – which has a governmental lobbying arm – to acknowledge the horrific humanitarian situation under way in Gaza.
Karameh Kuemmerle, a physician and co-founder of Doctors Against Genocide, told the crowd that had gathered, “The AMA is the sixth largest lobbying organization in the US. It’s bigger than Boeing. It’s bigger than Lockheed Martin. It’s bigger than the National Rifle Association. AMA have a tremendous amount of domestic and international influence. History is taking note of your position. Call for an end to the genocide!”
Brett Lewis, psychiatry resident and regional vice-president of SEIU’s CIR, added: “We know the AMA has been silent. We know our professional organisations turn a blind eye and we know that politicians refuse speak to up. If you cannot stand up to genocide, what will you stand up to?
“This may be our last chance. The money is there. The aid is there. Open the gates”.
Others speaking at the protest, said there was a direct link between people dying from poverty in the US and those dying from starvation in Gaza.
