Two nurses fired from Australian hospital over anti-Semitism allegations
Two nurses in Australia have been fired for allegedly making anti-Semitic remarks and threatening Israeli patients.
A video posted on social media shows two nurses in Australia threatening Israeli patients and refusing to treat them. They were fired from the hospital and permanently suspended after the video went viral.
The pair, identified as Afghan refugee Ahmed Rashad Nader and Sarah Abu Labeda, were investigated by New South Wales police on charges of threatening Jewish patients and engaging in anti-Semitic behaviour. Ahmed Rashad fled Afghanistan with his family to Australia at the age of 12, where he continued his education.
The video, which provides conversation with different people through the Chatruletka app and connects people online and randomly for video chat, connects "Max Weaver" to a person in a hospital setting who claims to be a doctor and tells Weaver: "You have beautiful eyes, but I'm sorry you're Israeli."
The man then goes on to say that Israelis are being sent to hell. Later in the video chat, his female colleague joins the conversation and tells Weaver, "One day your turn will come and you will experience the most horrible death. When the time comes for you to die, I want you to remember my face so you know how you are going to die horribly."
In the video, Weaver asks them, “What would you do if an Israeli citizen came to the hospital for treatment?” Sarah Abu Labeda replies, “I don’t treat them, I kill them.” Ahmed Rashadnader, gesturing to his neck as if to behead them, continues, saying, “You don’t know how many Israeli dogs have come to this hospital and I sent them to hell.”
Israeli content creator Max Weaver posted the video on TikTok, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it "shameful and disgusting." Albanese responded to the video on his social media account X, writing: "These hate-fueled, anti-Semitic comments have no place in our health system or anywhere else in Australia."
The Australian Medical and Nursing Regulatory Authority also issued a statement regarding this disgusting video: "We confirm that the nursing licenses of Ahmed Rashad Nader and Sarah Abu Elbeda have been suspended under the immediate powers of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of New South Wales."
Australian Federal Health Minister Mark Butler also said: "The suspension of these two nurses means that they can no longer practice nursing anywhere in Australia under any circumstances."
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park apologised to the Australian Jewish community and stressed that they could still expect healthcare services from the NSW health system, adding that hospital staff in the Bankstown area were "embarrassed" by the incident.
Ryan Park also confirmed that a comprehensive investigation will be conducted to ensure that the incident did not negatively impact patients.
