Nurses to face court over alleged anti-Israeli threats
Two former nurses are due to face court after appearing in a widely condemned video that included alleged threats to kill Israeli patients.
Sarah Abu Lebdeh and Ahmad Rashad Nadir sparked outrage after a video posted on social media by Israeli social media personality Max Veifer showed them saying they would refuse to treat Israelis and kill them instead.
The pair were working at south-west Sydney’s Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital when they made the alleged threats, which were captured in the video of their conversation via online platform Chatruletka in February.
After Viefer posted the video on social media, the duo’s comments drew widespread condemnation, including from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns.
Abu Lebdeh was charged in February with threatening violence to a group, using a carriage service to threaten to kill and using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend.
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The 26-year-old has been on bail with conditions prohibiting her from leaving Australia or using social media.
Nadir was hospitalised during the fallout of the video emerging but was charged earlier in March with using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence and possession of a prohibited drug.
The 27-year-old previously apologised through his lawyer for his comments.
The pair will face Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday.
Australia’s health practitioner watchdog has barred the duo from working as nurses nationwide. The NSW Nursing and Midwifery Council has also suspended their registrations.
