Dear CIR Executive Committee,

We write to convey our deep concerns regarding the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) executive committee’s “Official Statement on the Violence in Israel and Palestine” published on November 7th, 2023. The goal of CIR is to unite and “empower interns, residents and fellows to fight for excellence for our patients, our training, and our healthcare system through organizing, collective bargaining, and advocacy.” With its November 7th statement, CIR overstepped its purview as a labor union and mistook itself for an organization with expertise in geopolitical affairs. 

We presume good intentions, but even the most charitable interpretation of this statement fails Jewish union members and their allies. As published, it neglects to capture the conflict at hand, and thus does not reflect the perspectives and lived experiences of many CIR members. Many among us, the undersigned, cautioned CIR about the harm that could result from an inaccurate or oversimplified statement. Nevertheless, CIR proceeded to release such a statement, so we must address the bias and inaccuracies contained within it.

First and foremost, the statement failed to denounce the inciting terrorist attack on October 7th and the war crimes committed by Hamas terrorists, including the rape, murder and kidnapping of Israeli civilians. These human rights violations are unjustifiable regardless of political opinions or their “context” within the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ignoring these human rights violations in the statement while selectively highlighting alleged war crimes against Palestinians sends a message that appears heavily laced with bias against Israelis and, in turn, ricochets to the broader Jewish community in the diaspora. This is a moral failure. 

The statement calls for the guarantee of basic human rights for Gazan civilians. We unequivocally agree that people deserve to have their basic needs met, including food, water, and medical care. We are disappointed the statement fails to demand these same provisions for Israelis, specifically those held captive in Gaza.

We feel disheartened that the statement appears to conflate the innocent hostages taken captive by Hamas on October 7th with Palestinian prisoners in Israel who have been convicted of violent crimes. By erasing Hamas’ aggression with that false equivalence, the statement perpetuates a reductive representation of the conflict. This effectively unilaterally vilifies Israel, fueling bigotry against its citizens as well as Jews outside of Israel. Many of us have suffered direct repercussions of these choices: we have been dismissed, ostracized, and in some cases made to feel unsafe—even in our own CIR community—on the basis of our ethnoreligious identity or nation of origin.

Additionally, you accuse Israel of using white phosphorus against Palestinians, citing Al Jazeera—an outlet notorious for antisemitic and anti-Israel bias. This allegation remains unsubstantiated by credible news sources. In perpetuating such narratives, you spread false information that vilifies Israel and contributes to the spread of antisemitic rhetoric such as blood libels.  

If the goal of the statement were, as several executive committee members have stated, to ensure that CIR members feel safe at work, then its content should have been similarly limited in scope. As stated above, we emphatically support fundamental human rights for Palestinians and Israelis alike. We mourn the loss of all innocent lives. We yearn for a lasting end to this war. A unilateral ceasefire, as the statement proposed, has already proven to imperil Jewish lives. Rather, we advocate for a sustainable end to this war that will allow those on both sides to live with freedom and dignity as neighbors in peace. 

Since putting forth your misguided statement, you have remained silent. This egregious silence has grown despite Jewish members and their allies' voicing concerns. The silence again continued when multiple CIR group chats became promotional opportunities to peddle biases similar to those laid out above. If CIR did not intend to write a statement that perpetuates antisemitic bias, then the Executive Committee must promptly take accountability by issuing a public apology and revising the prior statement. We hope you take the necessary steps to mitigate the harm this statement has created instead of further alienating constituents with your silence. Your words matter and impact supersedes intent.

Sincerely, 

the undersigned

For your reference, the link to the statement is attached:

https://www.cirseiu.org/cir-statement-on-ongoing-violence-in-israel-and-palestine/