A British-Palestinian NHS nurse who says he was told to remove a background on his video calls because it could be perceived as ‘anti Semitic’ has launched legal action against his employer.
Ahmad Baker, a senior nurse, claims hospital bosses complained about the image of a fruit bowl containing watermelons – which have been adopted as a symbol of Palestine.
Barts Health NHS trust, which runs Whipps Cross hospital in north London where Mr Baker works, has banned staff from displaying symbols seen as politically or nationally affiliated.
The ban was introduced in March this year and applies to uniform, workstations, laptops and iPads.
However, Mr Baker and two other members of staff have argued that the measures are disproportionate and discriminatory to those with pro-Palestinian beliefs.
He claims he was threatened with disciplinary action for displaying the watermelon symbols on his wallpaper as they could be seen as ‘anti Semitic’.
Mr Baker told The Guardian: ‘As a Palestinian, I should be able to express my identity and solidarity with my people, especially during a humanitarian crisis.
‘Being told that a still-life painting containing a watermelon could be perceived as antisemitic and being threatened with disciplinary action is deeply upsetting.
‘I’ve worked for the NHS for over a decade – this is not the inclusivity I thought we stood for.’
Mr Baker has launched the legal action alongside other trust employees Dr Aarash Saleh, a respiratory consultant at Whipps Cross, and Dr Sara Ali, a haematology registrar.
The group is arguing that the policy amounts to indirect discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 and is disproportionate to those with pro-Palestinian beliefs.
They have also pointed to the fact that Barts Health NHS trust has openly supported Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The group have started a CrowdJustice page to help them raise money to fight the case. More than £16,000 has already been raised of a £50,000 target.
On the page they wrote: This legal case is about how senior executives at Barts Health NHS Trust have imposed a new uniform policy to ban any visible expressions of support for Palestinians as they suffer unprecedented potentially amounting to a genocide.
‘Barts Health’s decision has followed direct pressure from UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), a pro-Israel lobby group.
‘Please support us in opposing this discriminatory policy which contravenes NHS core values and basic rights of expression.’
A spokesperson for Barts Health NHS trust said: ‘We recognise the distress that global conflict has for our diverse workforce and continue to support their wellbeing as they serve our patients.
‘However, as an NHS organisation our primary responsibility is care for patients.’
MailOnline has contacted the NHS trust for further comment.
