Sydney nurses stood down after claiming they would kill Israeli patients in social media video
Guardian
Nurses Suspended in Australia Over Anti-Israel Video Threats
story
Above: A woman places flowers in the temporary fence at the burnt Adass Israel Synagogue on Dec. 8, 2025. Image copyright: Michael Currie/SOPA Images/Contributor/LightRocket via Getty Images
The Facts
Two nurses from a Bankstown hospital in Sydney have been suspended for making death threats against Israeli patients and refusing to treat them in a social media video. The police have launched a probe into the footage.
The video showed a male nurse (wearing NSW Health scrubs) and a female colleague making explicit threats, with the male stating he had sent Israeli patients to "jahannam" (hell), prompting action from NSW Health Minister Ryan Park.
Park said the nurses — Ahmad “Rashad” Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh — would likely never work in NSW hospitals again. The duo was also deregistered by the Nursing and Midwiferey Council of NSW effective Feb. 13.
The Spin
Narrative A
Australian authorities have swiftly responded to this abhorrent video, demonstrating a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination in healthcare. The immediate suspension and strong condemnation by NSW Health, along with a comprehensive police investigation, underscore the seriousness with which such threats are treated and sends a clear message that antisemitic behavior has no place in Australia's medical institutions.
Narrative B
This video was not a one off — the fact that a nurses' medical union immediately brought alleged Islamaphobia into debate demonstrates a deep rooted problem with taking antisemitism seriously. The inaction of nursing organizations in the face of multiple instances of provocation highlights an ongoing, problematic situation within Australian healthcare and demonstrates the urgent need for greater cultural sensitivity and ethical standards.
