‘Kill them’: NSW Health nurses who made threats against Israelis at their hospital have been identified

NSW Police have vowed to conduct a “thorough investigation” after two nurses told a Jewish social media influencer that they refuse to treat Israeli people at their hospital and would “kill them” instead.

Premier Chris Minns has since told 2GB radio this morning that “the two individuals have been identified as NSW Health workers and they’re from Bankstown Hospital”.

In the explosive Instagram video, nurses Ahmad ‘Rashad’ Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh — wearing hospital scrubs — spoke to popular Jewish influencer Max Veifer during their night shift on the ward.

“I’m a doctor my man (for) a hospital,” Mr Nadir told Mr Veifer.

Mr Veifer then shared he was from “the holy land” of Israel.

“I’m going to be really honest with you,” Mr Nadir said.

“You actually got really really beautiful eyes but I’m so upset you’re Israeli.

“You’re going to get killed and you’re going to go to jahannam (hell), inshallah (God willing).

“Those pretty eyes should stay in this world for longer.”

Mr Veifer asked, “Why do you think I’m gonna get killed?”

Ms Abu Lebdeh then appeared next to Mr Nadir on the call.

“It’s Palestine’s country, not your country you piece of s...,” she said.

“One day your time will come and you will die the most (beeped out).

“Listen to me, when your time comes I want you to remember my face so you can understand that you will die the most disgusting death.”

A gobsmacked Mr Veifer asked, “How are you doctors?”

“Alright, for sure, I have a question though. Let’s say an Israeli, God forbid…”

Ms Abu Lebdeh interrupted: “Not God forbid. I hope to God.”

Mr Veifer tried to pose the question again.

“So if an Israeli in Australia, and God forbid something happens to him, and he comes to your hospital, would you kill him?” he persisted.

Before he could finish, Ms Abu Lebdeh retorted: “I won’t treat them, I won’t treat them, I’ll kill them.”

Mr Nadir then said he would send Israeli patients at the western Sydney hospital to hell.

“You have no idea how many (Israeli people) come to this hospital ... I send to Jahannam”, he said before making a throat-slitting gesture.

Mr Veifer — an influencer and Hebrew-speaking English teacher from Ashdod, Israel — recorded the conversation with the Bankstown hospital workers on Chatruletka, an app that randomly pairs users for chats around the world, on Tuesday night before sharing it to social media on Wednesday morning (Australian time).

Mr Nadir is a refugee from Afghanistan who became an Australian citizen in 2020.

In a 2015 interview with SBS, Mr Nadir revealed he had fled from Afghanistan to Australia with his family when he was 12 and that he aspired to be a doctor.

In addition to his work at Bankstown Hospital, Mr Nadir also worked at a medical centre in Sydney’s CBD.

On Wednesday, Mr Nadir’s bio was removed from their website.

Ms Abu Lebdeh is understood to have been a nurse for NSW Health for about four years.

After becoming aware of the footage this morning, Premier Minns referred the matter to NSW Police.

“Police are looking it right now,” he told 2GB.

“My understanding is police are on their way to Bankstown as we speak.”

NSW Police said “a thorough investigation is underway”.

“This morning Bankstown Police Area Command launched an investigation into the video that has circulated widely on social media,” it said in a statement.

“Officers attached to Strike Force Pearl have now taken carriage of the investigation.

“NSW Health believe they have identified the individuals involved and are currently assisting detectives with their investigation.”

As no charges have been laid, NSW Police refused to comment on potential charges or penalties the pair could face.

Mr Minns flagged that the NSW Health Minister Ryan Park would be referring the matter to the Health Care Complaints Commissioner “immediately”.

“Both of them have been immediately stood down pending a full investigation of course but they will not be back in NSW Health,” Premier Minns said.

“We need to set a clear and unambiguous message that if you go to an emergency department, if you’re on a ward, anywhere in NSW, you will be treated by people who are highly trained, who are highly skilled, who care about you.

“I can understand right now members of the Jewish community … would be appalled at this latest revelation. We just can’t stand for it.”

While Mr Minns said that so far the pair have only been stood down, they are expected to be sacked with Mr Park vowing that they would not be working for NSW Health again.

“We need to make sure this is an iron-clad investigation and there is not a glimmer of hope of some kind of administrative turnback so you’d appreciate the intention here is absolutely clear,” he said.

“I want to make sure people understand that these individuals won’t be returning to the office but there’s a process to be followed and that will take place as soon as possible.”

Mr Park today apologised to the Jewish community and said the pair will “not ever be working for NSW Health ever again”.

“There is no place for this sort of perspective in our society,” he said.

“I can assure you this, the care that you get in our hospitals will continue to be first-class.

“We will investigate this uphill and down dale. We will not be looking at this incident per say but we will also be … going through previous cases to make sure that hospital has been working in a way that reflects those values around safety and care.

“This act of bastardry, this act of vile disgusting behaviour, from two individuals, will in no way diminish the value the secretary, myself as the minister, but more importantly our state, values the work that you do each and every day.”

Authorities will now look back over the pair’s interactions with Jewish members of the public at Bankstown Hospital.

Mr Park said there was no indication so far that Jewish patients had been hurt or killed by the two individuals.

“But let’s be clear, that is just a straight away, very quick, immediate desktop look but what we will now do through those agencies … is conduct that thorough investigation to make sure there have been no adverse outcomes as a result of their behaviour,” he said.