Australian nurses suspended for ‘threatening to kill’ Israelis

Two nurses in Sydney, Australia, have been suspended after a video surfaced allegedly showing them making violent threats against Israeli patients.

The footage recorded from the online chat app Chatroulette, which allows strangers to talk to each other, has sparked widespread condemnation and prompted an official investigation by Australian authorities. 

The video, originally shared by Israeli social media influencer Max Veifer, appears to show two healthcare workers in hospital scrubs engaged in an online conversation where they discuss harming Israeli patients.

The male nurse, identified as Ahmad Rashad Nadir, allegedly said “I’m sorry you’re Israeli” before claiming to have sent Israelis to “Jahannam” (Arabic for “hell”). The female nurse, Sarah Abu Lebdeh is heard saying: “I won’t treat them, I will kill them.”

The footage was edited, with some portions bleeped out and emojis added, but authorities say it is authentic. 

However, the full context of the footage is not clear and The New Arab was not able to independently verify it.

Legal investigation underway 

New South Wales (NSW) Health Minister Ryan Park confirmed that both individuals were immediately suspended from their roles at Bankstown Hospital.

“There is no place in our health system for such hateful views,” Park said. “These individuals will never work in NSW healthcare again.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the video, calling it “sickening and shameful”.

The suspension comes just days after Australia introduced tougher hate crime laws following an increase in antisemitic incidents across the country. 

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb described the video as “racial hatred on a level I have not seen before”. Authorities have contacted Veifer to obtain an unedited version of the footage as part of their inquiry. 

Meanwhile, one of the suspended nurses, Ahmad Rashad Nadir, was reportedly hospitalised due to “welfare concerns”, according to police.

His lawyer, Mohamad Sakr, claimed that his client regrets the incident and has apologised to the Jewish community. 

While no charges have been filed, discussions between police and legal representatives for the two nurses are ongoing. 

The New Arab has contacted Bankstown Hospital to offer a comment on the issue.