NEW YORK (VINnews) – Employees at New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene have formed a new internal working group that accuses Israel of committing genocide, according to a report published Wednesday by the New York Post.

The group, called the Global Oppression and Public Health Working Group, held its first meeting Tuesday afternoon during work hours, with staff gathering at the department’s headquarters in Long Island City and remotely, the newspaper reported.

Video obtained by the Post shows a presenter saying the group was created “in response to the ongoing genocide in Palestine.” The meeting focused on what organizers described as global oppression and its impact on public health and health equity.

Among the speakers was Dr. Weeam Hammoudeh, a Hunter College professor and committee member of the Palestine Global Mental Health Network, who accused Israel of treating Palestinians as second-class citizens, according to a transcript reviewed by the newspaper.

The more than hour-long presentation did not include any reference to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel or the events that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza, according to a department employee who attended the meeting and spoke to the Post on condition of anonymity.

A flyer promoting the meeting was circulated inside the health department building, the employee said.

“This is a meeting using New York City Department of Health resources that promote libel against the Jewish people,” Yael Halaas, president of the American Jewish Medical Association, told the newspaper.

A Jewish employee of the department told the Post that the event had caused internal divisions and hurt morale, saying staff members want to focus on public health rather than international political disputes.

Sarah McKenney, a director of operations for the department’s rapid response team, was identified by the Post as one of the organizers. Another organizer listed was Umaima Abbasi, a project coordinator at the department.

The Post reported that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has previously accused Israel of genocide and supports the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against the Jewish state.

The Department of Health and the mayor’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to the newspaper.