Questions are being asked, after a course at Liverpool University on the living conditions of Palestinians on the West Bank was removed from a course for medical students, without explanation, after a complaint by one Israeli student on 24 January.

The Healthy Inclusion course for medical students at Liverpool University Medical School, addresses social exclusion issues in health from a global, national and local perspective, is recognised nationally, and had been running for over three years.

 The January talk was attended by Pat Revans, the facilitator of Friends of the Holy Land, and two colleagues, who “thoroughly appreciated the excellent handling of such a sensitive subject. It was sad to hear some of the factual observations, but they truly reflect on the issues in the area...we feel that the talk can be presented openly, anywhere, and we shall recommend it to our associates.”
 
The University (Professor Ian Greer, executive pro-vice chancellor, and Dr Tom Kennedy, honorary senior lecturer) suspended the Healthy Inclusion course on 11 April 2011, without providing any information about this matter.
 
This is not the first time that discussion of Palestinian health issues have been stopped in the North West. Similar events occurred in October 2009, when a talk on Palestinian children’s health, by Physicians for Human Rights – Israel, was cancelled at short notice with no explanation by Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool and Manchester Royal Infirmary.
 
More recently, a talk by Dr Swee Ang Chai on Palestinian health was cancelled on 24 February 2011 by the Fairfield General Hospital in Bury at short notice. She was scheduled to speak at the Manchester Royal Infirmary on the same day.
 
Siobhan Harkin, Administrator for Healthy Inclusion said: "There would appear to be a major problem of academic freedom to discuss Palestinian health issues in the North West of the UK. This is a continuing and serious issue which needs to be addressed urgently by the NHS and the medical academic community.

"The Lancet Magazine, the world’s leading medical journal, continues to take an active interest in Palestinian health issues, and sees this as an important part of its global health advocacy role.

"A meeting has been arranged to address this issue between Healthy Inclusion and the University on Friday, 6 May, and we very much welcome your prayers and support in respect of this."