A Palestinian American Muslim nurse, Hesen Jabr, was fired from a New York City hospital, NYU Langone Health, after referring to Israel’s war in Gaza as a “genocide” during an acceptance speech for an award honoring her work with bereaved mothers who lost their children during pregnancy and childbirth.
Jabr, who had previously been warned not to bring her views on the Israel-Gaza conflict into the workplace, posted on Instagram that she received the award on May 7 and was terminated later in the month. In her speech, she expressed her pain for the women in Gaza experiencing unimaginable losses during the conflict.
The hospital’s spokesperson stated that Jabr had been warned in December after a previous incident, but she chose to ignore the advice and made the controversial remarks at an employee recognition event. This led to her termination, as her comments upset some of her colleagues.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in over 36,000 deaths in the past eight months, according to the local health ministry. The war has also caused widespread hunger and displacement among the population of 2.3 million.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas, the militant group governing Gaza, has sparked rising Islamophobia and antisemitism, leading to demonstrations in the U.S. and other countries. The conflict began when Hamas attacked Israel, resulting in casualties and hostages.
Jabr’s termination has sparked a debate on freedom of speech and the boundaries of expressing personal views in the workplace. The incident highlights the sensitivity and complexity of discussing geopolitical conflicts in professional settings.