Pro-Israel group pressures London hospital to remove Gaza children's artwork

A hospital in London has come under fire for removing Palestinian children's art from a display, following complaints by a UK pro-Israel lobbying group.

The displayed artwork at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital was drawn by Palestinian children from Gaza, and featured a number of designs such as Palestinian women dressed in traditionally-embroidered thobes, olive harvesting, as well as the Palestinian national flag flying over the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.

Totally pathetic of the UKLFI and the Chelsea and Westminster hospital for giving in. Is this really true? It’s artwork which is supposed to be unifying. https://t.co/wr76amr1hd

— Jocelyn Hurndall (@jocelynhurndall) February 24, 2023

The artwork, entitled "Crossing Borders - A Festival of Plates", was designed by schoolchildren from two United Nations Relief Work Agency (UNRWA) schools in the besieged enclave, and was displayed at the children’s outpatients department.

The artwork was reportedly removed earlier this month from the hospital after a number of Jewish patients complained that the artwork made them feel "vulnerable, victimised and harassed".

“We are delighted to report that Chelsea and Westminster Hospital has removed a display of artwork designed by children from Gaza.”

Defending Israeli apartheid does very strange things to your ethics. pic.twitter.com/2JNT0Ysbmf

— kristyan benedict (@KreaseChan) February 24, 2023

The display’s removal has prompted outrage, who called the move a "devious effort to insulate Israel from accountability", in reference to its illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories.

The complaint was brought forward by the UK Lawyers for Israel, (UKLFI),  which describes itself as a "group of British lawyers that employs advocacy, legal research and campaigning to support Israel, [using] their skills pro bono to combat BDS and the delegitimisation of Israel".

UKLFI reportedly demanded that the hospital remove the exhibition after being approached by Jewish patients for "help" on the matter.

Jocelyn Hurndall, an author and trustee of Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights, said: "Totally pathetic of the UKLFI and the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for giving in”. She added that "artwork is supposed to be unifying".

Amnesty International UK’s campaign manager, Krystian Benedict, said: "defending Israeli apartheid does very strange to your ethics," in reference to the UKLFI’s "praise” of the art's removal.

Fanar Haddad, an assistant professor at The University of Copenhagen and author, labelled UKLFI’s complaint as "cruel heartlessness" and the hospital’s subsequent response as "craven spinelessness".

Moreover, in their press release, the group initially wrote that they were "delighted to report that Chelsea and Westminster Hospital has removed a display of artwork designed by children from Gaza," at the time of publication on February 14.

However, it now reads: "Chelsea and Westminster Hospital has removed a display of artwork incorporating Palestinian political propaganda". The statement’s alteration has also drawn criticism online.

This isn’t the first time that UKLFI has campaigned for the removal of displays of Palestinian solidarity in the UK.

In February last year, the organisation allegedly pressured The University of Manchester-affiliated Whitworth Gallery to remove its director from his post. The move occurred after the Forensic Architecture research agency, which held an exhibition at the gallery the year prior, posted a Palestine solidarity statement.