Britain’s leading retina specialist, who is a consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital, has re-shared posts on social media about “cult Zions” controlling the BBC and remarks about “Tel Aviv Keith Starmer”, the JC can reveal.
Michel Michaelides, who is a professor of ophthalmology at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, has also re-posted denials that rape occurred during the Hamas-led massacre on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The account in Michaelides’s name, which showed his photo and linked to his website in the bio, has been deleted, but the JC has obtained screenshots of dozens of re-posts linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
According to the account’s activity, Michaelides re-posted tweets on X in support of Gary Lineker, the former Match of the Day host who left the BBC earlier than expected after he shared a video on social media condemning Zionism that included a picture of a rat.
One post which he re-shared said: “This is why Gary Lineker was sacked from the BBC after 26 years. The biggest cancel culture cult Zions ordered BBC since he opposed mass murder of children.”
On several occasions, Michaelides retweeted posts on X from the controversial academic David Miller, who has previously called for Zionists to be “targeted” across the world.
One such post called for former IDF soldiers to be “prosecuted” and “De-Zionised in every country from South Africa to the US and Canda and from Argentina to the UK and France”.
On another occasion, Michaelides retweeted a post by George Galloway, the leader of the Workers Party of Britain, where he denied that mass rape occurred on October 7.
“There were no women raped, no babies baked on October 7. It was all part of a PR lie getting you to acquiesce to mass murder,” the tweet read.
Several of Michaelides’s retweets also contained comparisons between the war in Gaza and the Holocaust.
One tweet he re-shared by the professor invited people to attend a pro-Palestine demonstration “to stop the #GazaHolocaust”, and two others featured photos of emaciated children in the Warsaw Ghetto side-by-side with similar images, which were said to be taken in Gaza.
And another post reshared by Michaelides referred to the prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, as “Tel Aviv Keith”, a phrase used by British anti-Zionists who perceive his to be biased towards the Jewish state.
There is no suggestion that Michaelides authored any of the offensive posts himself or that his apparent views had an impact on the level of care provided to Jewish or Zionist patients.
In a statement to the JC, he said: “As a medic, I naturally care deeply about the humanitarian situation in the Middle East.
“However, I have no truck whatsoever with antisemitism, which I abhor. I treat all adults and children with the same compassion, respect and care - no matter what their background or beliefs.
“I don't recall these specific retweets, but when I used social media, I sometimes retweeted things to draw attention to, rather than endorse, other people's views.
"In view of the context your newspaper has shared with me, I would think differently about them. I am mortified that anyone could have been upset by anything I shared and I no longer use social media.”
A spokesperson for Moorfields Eye Hospital said: “We do not condone offensive or discriminatory behaviour, language or views. When we were made aware of these retweets, we immediately spoke to the account holder and made sure they were deleted.”
