Nurses banned from practising in Australia over anti-Semitic remarks
Two nurses have been banned from practicing in Australia after making anti-Semitic threats against Israeli patients during a video call. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from officials.
A nurse who vowed to kill Israeli patients and another who claimed to have already sent Israeli patients to the afterlife have been banned from practising anywhere in Australia.
Ahmad "Rashad" Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh were deregistered by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of NSW, effective from February 13, as announced by federal Health Minister Mark Butler.
Mr Butler stated, "As a result, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency has automatically updated their record on the public register of practitioners." He further emphasised that the two nurses are now unable to practise nursing in Australia.
"Australians have a right to feel safe wherever they go and nowhere should be safer than a hospital," he added. "Their sickening comments - and the hatred that underpins them - have no place in our health system and no place anywhere in Australia."
Mr Nadir and Ms Lebdeh were arrested after being stood down from their roles at Bankstown Hospital. They were filmed in their NSW Health uniforms making threats against Israeli patients during a video call with Israeli influencer Max Veifer.
In the video, Mr Nadir expressed his anger towards Mr Veifer, stating, "I'm so upset that you're Israeli, like eventually you're going to get killed." In response, Ms Lebdeh appeared on screen, stating, "It's Palestine's country not your country, you piece of s***." She further threatened, "When your time comes, I want you to remember my face so you can understand that you will die the most disgusting death."
Mr Veifer expressed his shock over the hateful sentiments expressed, saying, "Seeing doctors, seeing nurses, seeing medical staff that's supposed to treat people, everyone that's supposed to take care of people, seeing them saying these things just made me sad."
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb confirmed that a Strike Force Pearl investigation is currently underway, while NSW Health Minister Ryan Park condemned the incident as "one of the most vile, shocking and appalling videos" he had ever seen.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also denounced the video, calling the footage "sickening and shameful," reiterating that such anti-Semitic comments have no place in Australia.
