Senior NHS surgeon suspended nine months for posting antisemitic Instagram messages

Muhammad Khalil, a senior vascular surgery fellow at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool, was suspended for nine months after a misconduct hearing classified five of his Instagram posts as objectively antisemitic. The messages displayed slogans like “death to Israel,” derogatory language toward the Torah and prophets, and accusations that Jewish individuals, including Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, dominate major social-media platforms.

Chaired by Malcolm Dodds, the Medical Practitioners’ Tribunal Service concluded the content exceeded legitimate criticism and posed a high risk to public trust, though patient safety was not directly compromised. Khalil, an Egyptian-qualified doctor who previously worked at the Royal Free Hospital and Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, said he was “emotional” and would not repeat the behavior. The suspension underscores the NHS’s commitment to professional standards and maintaining public confidence.