UK doctor suspended after calling Hamas, Hezbollah leaders 'legends'

A British neurologist received an interim suspension from the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) last week after complaints about controversial social media posts including those declaring Hamas and Hezbollah leaders to be legends, according to the General Medical Council and the doctor.

Dr. Rehiana Ali was suspended pending the conclusion of a full GMC investigation, the association said, rendering her temporarily unable to practice medicine for the National Health Service. The MPTS decision said the suspension would last for 18 months and was subject to review.

“We are acutely aware of the concerns that have been raised regarding Dr. Ali, and we will take action where concerns suggest patient safety or the public’s confidence in doctors may be at risk,” said the GMC.

Ali, who had sought election in 2024 as an independent politician for Bradford South’s parliamentarian, told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that she had been reported for a variety of “legitimate and accurate” anti-Israel social media posts.

“The MPTS finding was based on absolutely nothing,” said Ali. “They effectively admit it was not based on fact. Your fellow colleagues should have informed you that the ‘complaint’ was by the Israeli lobbies. The same complaints were dismissed three times previously by the GMC. The MPTS decision was a travesty and unfortunately brings them into disrepute given they are meant to serve the British public. They may have outlived their usefulness.”

Ali claimed 'free speech' 

The doctor contended in a Tuesday X post that the “Israel lobby” that had led the persecution against her had infiltrated most organizations, including the GMC and MPTS.

Ali argued on X Thursday that posts such as those relating to deceased Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah were legal political commentaries that had been distorted.

“Israel has failed. Nasrallah is now a legend – completely untouchable – in Lebanon. They’ve just immortalized the man forever. Rest in Peace,” Ali wrote on October 7, later eulogizing the Hamas leader in a similar manner on October 24. “Israel will lose. They’ve just turned Sinwar into a legend. A male role model.”

The neurologist also asked in a post if there was “any evidence of this ‘antisemitism’ because hurt feelings don’t count. And if anything, there’s a huge over-representation so a little diversity may be good? There are zero barriers to Jewish progression. Quite different for a Muslim. I’ve actually worked my way up.”

Ali said that complaints about her had been filed by UK Lawyers for Israel and the Jewish Medical Association to the GMC, but had been dismissed and had not resulted in an investigation.

“We are grateful that the GMC has in this case decided on an interim suspension,” UKLFI director Caroline Turner said in a Sunday statement.

UKLFI said that it had been alerted to Ali’s social media proclivities by antisemitism and Holocaust denial watchdog GnasherJew. In one such October 26 X post, Ali called for the de-proscription of Hamas in the UK, as the group “are not terrorists and are legitimate Palestinian resistance.”

In multiple posts, Ali disputed the Jewish casualties of the Holocaust and suggested that Holocaust victim Anne Frank’s diary was a forgery.

Ali has also shared posts with fake and misleading Talmud quotes, claiming on Friday that Jews and Israelis behaved the way that they did because “all roads seem to lead to the supremacist beliefs in the Talmud.”

The JMA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.