Israel-Hamas war: Indian doctor fired from Bahrain's Royal Hospital over anti-Palestine tweets

Pic/Twitter

In the midst of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, a medical professional of Indian origin, Dr. Sunil Rao, found himself at the center of controversy and was subsequently terminated from his position at the Royal Hospital in Bahrain. The hospital administration made this announcement via a post on the microblogging platform X, citing Dr. Rao's social media comments, which were perceived as "Anti-Palestine" and in favor of Israel.

The social media posts came to the attention of the public when a user on the same microblogging platform flagged the doctor's tweets, prompting Bahraini authorities to intervene.

The Royal Hospital Bahrain issued an official statement, distancing itself from Dr. Rao's statements, which it described as "offensive to our society." The hospital clarified that Dr. Rao's expressed views were entirely personal and did not align with the institution's values or opinions. In response to this violation of the hospital's code of conduct, "immediate legal actions were taken, resulting in the termination of Dr. Rao's employment".

Dr. Rao, in an effort to address the situation, issued an apology on social media, acknowledging the insensitivity of his statements given the current events. He emphasized his commitment to the principle that "all lives matter" and expressed deep respect for Bahrain, its people, and their religion, as he had been living and working in the country for the past decade.

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As a consequence of the termination, the Royal Hospital Bahrain removed Dr. Sunil Rao's profile from its website. According to available information from his X profile, Dr. Rao is an alumnus of Andhra Medical College in Visakhapatnam and Kasturba Medical College in Mangaluru, Karnataka. He boasts two decades of experience in the medical field.

This development occurs against the backdrop of increasing concerns regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict potentially spilling over and triggering a wider regional crisis in the Middle East. While the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain have thus far refrained from severing their ties with Israel, the intensification of violence may compel them to limit their interactions. (With inputs from agencies)