Professors angry at Israeli participation in medical conference
Professors of hematology at the Qasr el-Aini, Ain Shams and Alexandria medical schools are angry that a number of Israeli professors are participating in a conference on blood diseases organized by a pharmaceutical company and being held in Cairo.
Doctor Mona el-Qasas, professor of hematology at the Qasr el-Aini Medical College, said that the organizers of the conference decided to invite the Israelis, "despite our vow that we would not participate in the conference if they were invited."
"We agreed to participate after the organizers assured us that the Israelis would not be attending, only to be surprised when we received the conference's schedule by email, indicating that two Israelis would be leading sessions of the conference," el-Qasas said.
According to el-Qasas, one professor served 17 years in the Israeli army and retired at the rank of colonel, while another is head of hematological research at Tel Aviv University.
El-Qasas called on all Egyptian professors to boycott the conference.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
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This decision to boycott the medical conference if Israelis attend is unfortunate. The Middle East needs more high-level trust building between people willing to help the general welfare of the resident populations. Physicians who are committed to healing are a prime litmus test of the potential benefits of co-operation in the region. G-d wants the Holy Land and region to be a centre of unfolding potential for all of humankind. The financial chaos besetting the world is occurring for a reason. Each nation will find its true place. Egypt by default of its proximity has enormous potential but this will not unfold with more intransigence, myopia and contractionary political machinations.