A mobile billboard, orchestrated by the medical watchdog group Do No Harm, has drawn attention to what it describes as "antisemitic hate" within the American Psychological Association (APA).
This initiative, stationed outside the APA's headquarters in Washington, D.C., showcases inflammatory remarks from APA members, such as "Kudos to Hamas" and "Intifada, Intifada."
The APA, recognized as the world's largest psychology organization with a membership exceeding 173,000, has found itself under scrutiny due to these controversial statements regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Internal communications have revealed troubling comments, including a former President of the APA Society of Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychology, Dr. Lara Sheehi, referring to Israelis as "genocidal fucks" with a "settler psychosis."
According to Breitbart, this public display by Do No Harm follows a letter addressed to APA President Dr. Debra Kawahara and 15 board members. Signed by over 3,500 mental health professionals, the letter accuses the association of permitting "virulent antisemitism" to persist unchecked. The letter, which was obtained by Israeli news outlet Ynet in early March, underscores the statements made by Sheehi and alleges that Jewish members of the APA have faced harassment, exclusion, and silencing when voicing objections to antisemitic rhetoric.
The letter also criticizes the APA for inviting speakers with antisemitic backgrounds, who have reportedly distorted Holocaust narratives and attempted to rationalize the October 7, 2023, massacre of Israeli civilians by Hamas. Dr. Sheehi, who led the APA Society of Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychology from 2023 to 2025, has been the subject of a complaint to the U.S. Department of Education. The complaint accuses her of antisemitic behavior towards students at George Washington University (GW), which ultimately led to her departure from the institution.
During her tenure at GW, Sheehi allegedly told a student born in Jerusalem, "Its not your fault you were born in Israel," as reported by Ynet. Other students have claimed that Sheehi repeatedly targeted their Jewish identities during class discussions and disparaged them in conversations with faculty members. Despite these allegations, the letter to the APA asserts that the association's leadership has failed to adequately address the complaints.
Sheehi, who has also shared Instagram posts referring to Hamas members as "martyrs," has since relocated to Qatar. The situation raises significant questions about the APA's commitment to addressing antisemitism within its ranks and ensuring an inclusive environment for all its members.
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