Urgent statement in support of Dr. Lara Sheehi - January 30, 2023

Statement By Jewish Voice for Peace Health Advisory Council in Defense of Dr. Lara Sheehi, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at George Washington University

January 30, 2023

The Jewish Voice for Peace Health Advisory Council (JVP HAC) joins our many international colleagues in the fields of health and mental health in support of Lara Sheehi, PsyD. Dr. Sheehi and a growing list of scholars, human rights activists, and others are being targeted for their teaching, writings, and scholarship supporting equal rights and justice for Palestinians. There is absolutely nothing antisemitic about speaking up for human rights or condemning the violation of such rights in the actions of any state or government. Those who make these charges against Dr. Sheehi do so to divert attention away from the actions of the Israeli government, and the scrutiny that all nations must withstand in the defense of universal human rights.

Dr. Lara Sheehi and other scholars who have faced this spurious charge of antisemitism have built highly respected careers in their institutions and professional organizations. They are then suddenly subjected to witch-hunts by groups who claim to be searching out antisemitism. In fact, these groups who repeatedly attempt to silence and destroy careers are not fighting antisemitism, but are rather arbitrarily attempting to silence any and all critique, criticism, and analysis of the Israeli government in essence shutting down protected speech and academic freedom.

The charges against Dr. Sheehi follow a scripted pattern that is becoming known as the “Exception of Palestine.” It goes like this: Adherence to rigorous scholarship, public speaking and writing on the importance of universal human rights is applauded, funded and lifted up until such work is applied to the government of Israel when illuminating the injustices of its policies and treatment of Palestinians. Relevant recent cases include Kenneth Roth and the highly respected group with which he was affiliated, Human Rights Watch. Even the Israeli human rights group, B’Tselem was charged with antisemitism in 2021 when they released a report finding that Israeli laws and practices were consistent with the international legal definition of apartheid. Over recent years other scholars have been subject to this same “witch-hunt.” 

The JVP HAC is concerned with the accusations against Dr Sheehi for a number of reasons. One is that, as a Jewish group, we are keenly aware of the importance of identifying and opposing antisemitism in the many places it endangers all of us (Jews and non-Jews). We are aware of antisemitism as a core principle of the far-right movements internationally. We strongly support those challenging antisemitism in these sorts of places, and elsewhere, as it truly exists.

As a group of health and mental health professionals, we are also aware of the critical importance of human rights as a determinant of health. There cannot be a high level of human health where human rights are not protected. For that reason, we cannot allow any nation-state, including Israel, to be given impunity in their actions. In the case of Israel, we speak out, as Dr. Sheehi has, responding to the treatment of the entire population of Palestinians-- subjected to occupation and systemic maltreatment under the law. Such practices by the Israeli government are certainly not done in adherence to any Jewish values, nor are they aligned with the values of our professional oaths.

Finally, the JVP HAC is familiar with the professional work of Dr. Sheehi through reading her publications and having featured her on a recent webinar, Psychoanalysis Under Occupation. We find her work to be rigorous, to challenge critical thinking, and to be unbiased. There is nothing at all antisemitic in her positions or in the manner of her presenting them. 

It is deeply troubling that over and over, institutions are persuaded to delve into these types of “investigations” when bowing to pressure from groups whose goals are specifically to deflect from discourse about Israel’s policies regarding Palestinian human rights. This is one more case in a repeated attempt by many of the same groups to shut down free speech and academic freedom. 

We sincerely hope that George Washington University will immediately cease this unfounded probe into Dr. Sheehi’s teachings. 

Sincerely,

JVP HAC Steering Committee 
Alan Meyers, MD, MPH
Alice Rothchild, MD
Amy Alpert, CCC-SPL
Maxine Fookson, RN, MN
Peter Sporn, MD
Rachel Rubin, MD, MPH
Sima Kahn, MD
Trude Bennett, MSW, MPH, DrPH