UK surgeon cleared of antisemitism criticises GMC’s plan to challenge ruling

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondentMarch 2, 2026 at 02:25 PM

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Surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah, cleared of antisemitism and support for terrorism allegations by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) in January, is facing an appeal by the General Medical Council (GMC). The GMC's appeal, prompted by a complaint from UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), challenges the MPTS ruling. Abu-Sittah, who testified at the International Criminal Court on Israel's actions in Gaza, is crowdfunding to cover his legal defense. He accuses the GMC of pursuing a "politically acceptable" outcome, raising concerns about external pressure on the regulator. The government intends to remove the GMC's right of appeal, a change the regulator acknowledges. The case against Abu-Sittah stems from a newspaper article and social media posts.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Israel 30% Ian Comfort 30% Gaza Strip 40% Charlie Massey 40% International Criminal Court ×250% University of Glasgow 50% UK Lawyers for Israel 60% Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service ×370% General Medical Council ×780% Ghassan Abu-Sittah ×690%

Keywords

ghassan abu-sittah 100% antisemitism 90% general medical council (gmc) 80% medical regulator 70% medical practitioners tribunal service (mpts) 70% appeal 70% political pressure 60% uk lawyers for israel (uklfi) 50% international criminal court 50% misconduct 40%