In the context of the ongoing conflict between Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas fighters in Gaza, a doctor of Indian descent was dismissed from the Royal Hospital Bahrain for sharing 'Anti-Palestine' comments on social media.
The hospital administration announced the termination of Dr. Sunil Rao's employment on a microblogging platform, referred to as "X." This action was taken due to tweets he had posted, which were seen as expressing support for Israel, which had been carrying out extensive military operations in Gaza in response to the Hamas attack that occurred on the weekend of October 7th.
A user on the same microblogging site had reported the tweet and requested that Bahrain authorities take notice. Following this, the Royal Hospital Bahrain promptly confirmed the termination of Dr. Sunil Rao's contract. In their statement, the hospital explained that Dr. Sunil Rao, who worked as a Specialist in Internal Medicine, had posted social media messages deemed offensive to the local community. The hospital emphasized that these tweets and his personal beliefs did not reflect the hospital's stance or values. Consequently, the hospital considered this a violation of their code of conduct, and they took the necessary legal steps to terminate his employment immediately.
Dr. Rao issued an apology on social media, acknowledging the insensitivity of his statement, saying, "I would like to apologize for the statement that I posted on this platform. It was insensitive in the context of the current events. As a doctor, all lives matter. I respect this country, its people, and its religion deeply, as I have been here for the past 10 years." The Royal Hospital Bahrain also removed his profile from their hospital website. According to Dr. Sunil Rao's bio on X, he is an alumnus of Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam, and Kasturba Medical College in Mangaluru, Karnataka, with 20 years of experience.
This development occurs in the backdrop of concerns about the Israel-Hamas conflict potentially leading to a wider regional conflict in the Middle East. While the UAE and Bahrain may initially resist severing ties with Israel over its military actions in Gaza, a further escalation of violence could compel them to minimize their engagement. It is worth noting that some Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, have reacted to the October 7 attacks by expressing concerns about the consequences of Israel's Palestinian policies. These countries are seeking to reach a consensus on how to address the situation, particularly regarding the delivery of significant aid to Gaza.
— RoyalBahrainHospital (@RBHospital) October 19, 2023
I would like to apologized about the statement that I posted on this platform.
— SUNIL J RAO (@shilpasunil_rao) October 19, 2023
It was insensitive in the context of the current event. As a doctor all lives matter. I respect this country its people and its religion deeply as I have been here for past 10 years.
كلماتي و افعالي
