American Psychological Association rejects call from member group for ‘liberation from ‘Zionist aggression’

The United States’ largest professional organisation of psychologists has formally distanced itself from a statement made by one of its divisions that “one source of antisemitism is, in fact, Zionist ideology” after being s alerted by Jewish News.

The American Psychological Association, (APA) has officially distanced itself from a statement by its so-called “Section IX” division and instructed the division to take the wording off its website.

The lengthy Section IX statement denounces Israel, calls on psychologists to join the BDS movement, and declares: “We are clear and firm in our belief that condemning the Zionist ideology is not antisemitic. We are clear that one source of antisemitism is, in fact, Zionist ideology”.

Kim Mills, senior spokesman with the APA, which has more than 146,000 members, including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students, told Jewish News that the APA “was unaware of this statement until you called it to our attention. It does not represent the position of APA regarding the war between Israel and Hamas”.

Section IX has now been asked “to remove the statement and related links from its webpages”.

Ms Mills added: “Divisions are loosely affiliated with APA and are largely autonomous, with their own missions and leadership. They are, however, covered under our Association Rules, which detail the operational and managerial authority needed to conduct the affairs of the association under the APA Bylaws. As such, they are required to comply with APA’s policies and not to take public positions that do not comport with those of APA”.

Section IX’s online newsletter is called The Psychoanalytic Analyst and its statement on the Israel/Hamas conflict was issued on October 17. The board of directors of the division said that they were “unanimous in our solidarity with the Palestinian liberation struggle and our condemnation of the Zionist ideology that has resulted in the occupation, oppression, and dispossession of the Palestinian people.

“We unequivocally denounce genocide. Zionist aggression, arising out of the trauma from the Holocaust, World War II, and beyond, has resulted in what amounts to an ongoing and relentless displacement of Jewish people’s own historical traumas onto a people who have no contiguous land, no control over common resources, no access to citizenship rights, no freedom of movement, no right of return, and no organised defence or independent access to arms (an army)”.

Referring to Hamas, the statement declares: “We do not condone the actions of Hamas that have targeted Israeli civilians. We are challenged to hold the horror, pain, and suffering caused by Hamas, while simultaneously acknowledging the horror, pain, and suffering caused by Israel’s occupation and continued attacks on Gaza and the history and context of the Palestinian uprising.

“As psycho-analytic and dynamic practitioners, we recognise that the horrors that surfaced in the attacks of October 7 cannot be separated from the 75-year history of Palestinian displacement, and thus are inextricably linked to the oppressive regime against which they emerged.”