Health workers Alliance for Palestine (HAP) Reiterates its call for Health Regulators & Institutions to Investigate Canadian Health Workers & Educators Who Serve in the Israeli Military

[Version française]

June 9, 2026

In a statement released on April 7, 2026, Health workers Alliance for Palestine (HAP), along with 59 endorsing organizations, raised grave concerns over health workers and educators with ties to the Israeli military, given their potential involvement in violations of human rights and professional codes of ethics. The statement called on health regulators and institutions to act immediately to uphold their professional codes of conduct and preserve the trust of patients, learners & the general public.

Today, HAP reiterates its call for accountability by outlining specific measures that are the responsibility of health regulators and institutions. HAP demands the following:

1. Due diligence – Institutions should conduct inquiries into whether staff have served in a military that has allegedly perpetrated human rights violations, including service in the Israeli military since October 2023.
2. Formal investigations – Where credible information suggests that staff have served in a military that has allegedly perpetrated human rights violations, regulatory bodies and institutions should open investigations into whether individuals have violated professional codes of conduct.
3. Prosecution and discipline where warranted – When institutional or regulatory body investigations reveal reasonable and probable grounds to believe that there has been participation in or facilitation of human rights violations, a referral for legal prosecution should be made, along with activation of institutional disciplinary mechanisms.

These demands are consistent with the Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions (BDS) National Committee and Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) published guidance. The demands are a call for accountability & deterrence, in light of the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants for some Israeli leaders on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated against Palestinians in Gaza – alongside the ongoing genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Licensed healthcare professionals in Canada are subject to license renewal policies that mandate them to disclose any activity that may erode public trust or threaten patient safety, including criminal charges, investigations, complaints, lawsuits, and involvement in unethical conduct. It is prudent that regulators require disclosures related to service with militaries with alleged human rights violations. A UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry has determined that the Israeli military is engaged in genocide and war crimes. As such, serving in the Israeli military should prompt inquiry and investigation by professional health regulators.

We demand and expect that health regulators and institutions uphold the above standards and that violators of moral and ethical codes of conduct face accountability and justice.