Former MSF employee: “European colleagues freely told me, knowing I am Jewish, that Israel doesn’t have a right to exist.”
By Shula Rosen
A new report from NGO Monitor indicates that antisemitism and anti-Israel bias have become embedded within the organizational culture of Doctors Without Borders (MSF), citing testimony from current and former senior officials, employees and board members who say the organization has abandoned its principles of neutrality and impartiality.
The report, published on July 2, compiles interviews, internal staff discussions and public statements from former and current MSF personnel.
NGO Monitor cites sources that say the organization’s public messaging on Israel and the war in Gaza reflects a broader internal culture that has marginalized Jewish staff and consistently omitted Hamas’ actions from its communications.
Among those quoted is former MSF Secretary-General Alain Destexhe, who said, “MSF is lying, MSF is partial, MSF is biased and MSF are accomplices.”
He also said, “Since October 7, MSF… has not made a single tweet denouncing the crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by Hamas on October 7, including the abduction of over 240 Israelis … and the use of hospitals as barracks or human shields.”
Michael Goldfarb, who spent more than 15 years with Doctors Without Borders USA, said, “European colleagues freely told me, knowing I am Jewish, that Israel doesn’t have a right to exist.”
He also alleged that “Nothing meaningful has been done to address antisemitism, to show solidarity with Jewish staff, or call out this hate.”
The report also cites Dr. Estrella Lasry, a former consultant at MSF’s Geneva headquarters, who described “the appalling lack of empathy in the organization towards the victims in Israel.”
She said she received an “‘explicit request’ from an MSF office in the Middle East ‘not to speak out on behalf of victims in Israel as it would victimise the perpetrators.'”
According to the report, anonymous staff members also raised concerns over internal discussions about Israel and Gaza, while others questioned the organization’s public advocacy and its operations in Gaza.
The report concludes that MSF leadership has failed to address allegations of antisemitism and recommends structural changes, including new oversight mechanisms and leadership reforms, to restore the organization’s neutrality and credibility.
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