A British-Palestinian doctor has revealed she is under police protection after receiving online threats following the release of a right-wing article targeting her over views on the Gaza genocide.
Dr Rahmeh Aladwan, an orthopaedic doctor who has worked with the NHS, has been subjected to a fierce campaign of online trolling by pro-Israel accounts amid calls for her to be barred from perusing her medical career on the grounds of “antisemitism.”
Following the release of an article targeting Aladwan in right-wing paper, The Daily Mail, numerous pro-Israel accounts on X began sharing messages of a threatening tone aimed at Aladwan.
Some even found and began sharing private data in an apparent sadistic attempt to encourage others to track down and “go visit” the doctor.
After seeing the threats online, Dr Aladwan contacted the police who have visited her home and provided the family advice on additional safety precautions they should take.
Posting on X, Aladwan explained how she now requires police protection to ensure her family’s safety.
“The police just turned up at my house to check on my life and safety. They advised on additional precautions needed as a result of the Zionist attacks and threats generated by the libel and defamation from Sabrina Miller and the Daily Mail. This is happening in Britain.”
She later added in another X post: “The police, on high alert, have called daily since I reported safety risks after defamation by the Daily Mail and Sabrina Miller. I’ve never needed panic alarms or special locks. This is happening to an NHS doctor in the UK.”
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5Pillars has seen screenshots of the X posts which are targeting Dr Aladwan in a threatening tone. For her safety we have agreed not to further share the posts.
Speaking to 5Pillars, Dr Aladwan explained how the affair has impacted her.
“It has been extremely difficult. I don’t post much about my personal life and family. So when threats started to come in that involved sensitive and personal information about me as well as family and friends, I felt incredibly vulnerable and at risk. I was more afraid for those who know me.
“There has also been an incredible amount of support coming in, from my friends and social media followers to pro-Palestine and Muslim groups, as well as anti-Zionist Jewish comrades writing to me, calling, and checking in on me. It has further shown me how much our movement is driven by love and support. Right now, I’m focusing on staying safe and getting rest after a few sleepless nights.”
The ‘defamatory smears’
On February 15, 2025, an article was published by the Daily Mail accusing Aladwan of anti-Semitism over her views regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict and the genocide in Gaza.
The article titled: “The shocking full extent of anti-Semitism at the heart of our health service” used several social media posts and a testimony from an unnamed colleague of Dr Aladwan to depict her as an antisemite.
However, Dr Aladwan responded to the story in a video posted on X, rubbishing the article as a little more than a “defamatory smear piece.”
She also revealed that she had already won a General Medical Council (GMC) investigation into her online comments regarding Israel which she claims was triggered by the UK Lawyers For Israel (UKLFI) legal firm.
After the nine month investigation ran its course, the GMC concluded on February 12, 2025, that “there is not a realistic prospect of establishing that Dr Aladwan’s fitness to practise is impaired.”
The GMC also stated in its ruling that there was no “realistic prospect of proving that her (Dr Aladwan’s) posts stray beyond the limits of political speech which attracts the highest levels of protection under Article 10.”
The GMC investigation also stated in it’s findings that Dr Aladwan had clarified she believed in a clear distinction between Judaism and Zionism.
Although the GMC took no further action against Dr Aladwan, The Daily Mail article reignited the row, placing her profile and the allegations firmly in the public realm.
Pro-Israel accounts online, such as Campaign Against Antisemitism, have been at the forefront of a campaign calling for her to be removed from her role at the National Health Service (NHS).
But Dr Aladwan has stood firm against the accusations, insisting that she is nothing more than the victim of a systematic smear campaign.
“This is the first time I have seen The Daily Mail and what a surprise – 100% inaccurate and 150% defamatory.”
A defiant Dr Aladwan told 5Pillars: “Alhamdulillah, after a few days, I feel better. As a Muslim, I know that nothing will happen to me that God has not written. I knew from the start of the genocide that I was almost volunteering as tribute.
“NHS healthcare workers and professionals have been aggressively targeted and silenced by the pro-‘Israel’ lobby in the UK. I knew they would not let up because I was helping others speak against the atrocities and break the silence on the Genocide of the Palestinians.
“In the end, I know that I am speaking for truth, justice, and honouring my profession in doing so. As our British government continues to support the settler colony of ‘Israel,’ provide it with weapons, and use our taxes to do so, it is our duty to oppose it.”
Dr Aladwan informed 5Pillars that she intends to launch legal action against “everyone involved” but wouldn’t explain who at this stage.
