The atmosphere of heightened anti-Semitism that the global Jewish community has been plunged into after October 7 has meant that Jews have been threatened in every venue and aspect of their lives. One of the most chilling and worrisome are the instances of threats being made against Jews by medical professionals in a number of countries.
Two weeks ago, a video recorded by Israeli influencer Max Veiter reinforced the fear of being mistreated. He recorded a pair of Australian nurses, Ahmad Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh, saying that they would kill Israeli patients and that they had already done so.
In the video, the pair, dressed in hospital scrubs of the New South Wales health system, hurled insults and threatened Veiter after he said that he was Israeli.
When Veiter asked them what they would do if an Israeli came to the hospital, Lebdeh replied, “I wouldn’t treat them. I would kill them.”
Added Nadir, “You have no idea how many [Israelis] came to this hospital and I sent them to Jehannam [Arabic for Gehinnom].”
The two nurses worked at Bankstown Hospital in the Sydney suburbs. After the video was publicized, the hospital suspended them, and the police began an investigation to see if there was evidence that they had harmed anyone. So far the answer is no, although their licenses may be revoked.
Several Australian political leaders, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns, voiced their condemnations.
After a number of Muslim groups issued a statement in which they called the outrage against the pair a “double standard” and said that their hatred of Israel didn’t reflect a hatred of Jews, Albanese explained that the pair didn’t merit any sympathy. “What they deserve is the condemnation they’ve gotten,” he said.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park also responded to the statement, saying that “we need to unite against hatred, and these comments are divisive and unwelcome. The NSW government’s swift and decisive response was critical to restoring faith in the state’s health system.”
Has the threat to Jews looking for treatment been adequately dealt with? Not according to Sharon Stoliar, a midwife from Sydney whose husband is Israeli. She said that she warned the medical establishment about hospital staff using the slogan “from the river to the sea” while dressed in their hospital garb.
In an interview with Sky News Australia, she said that not long after October 7, “I wrote an open letter to nurses and midwives, explaining that this chant is a call for the annihilation of Jews, and that they should not be shouting this genocidal chant, let alone while wearing NSW health uniforms. I also had meetings with AHPRA (the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) to push for action.”
Instead of taking her concerns seriously, Stoliar said that official complaints were lodged against her that almost caused her to lose her license. Only by taking legal action was she able to prove her innocence and retain her credentials. She pointed to this most recent incident as proof of the fact that ignoring the problem hadn’t caused it to go away.
To get a better understanding of what’s going on Down Under, I spoke with New South Wales Health Minister Ryan Park.
I watched your initial news conference following the release of that highly disturbing video of the two nurses. I was very moved both by the sincerity of your words and the passion with which you delivered them.
Thank you. That’s very kind of you. It was a very difficult day. I just wanted to make sure that the Jewish community felt safe and that we were able to reestablish the confidence and trust that had probably been lost because of these actions.
What has been done with regard to the two nurses since that news conference?
As soon as I was made aware of the video that morning, I made contact with our secretary [NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce], and we were very quickly able to ascertain who those individuals were. We made it clear that having that sort of behavior and attitude toward patients isn’t welcome, and that I didn’t want those people working in our hospitals and health facilities. But from my perspective, that alone isn’t good enough. We had a significant break in trust with the Jewish community, who are without a doubt concerned, worried and on edge.
They claimed to have harmed Jewish patients in the past. Were you able to confirm if there was any truth to that? I understand that the police have opened an investigation and found certain things in their possession. Are you able to tell us anything about that?
We’ve gone through a very large number of medical records and interactions, and there is nothing to suggest in any way, shape or form that anyone was harmed as a result of their actions. I obviously can’t comment any further because it’s a live investigation. The police have been investigating since the incident took place, and they will decide if and when charges will be made and the case pursued.
A Sydney midwife said that she had warned the authorities about anti-Semitic comments being made by nurses more than a year before the most recent incident. She described in an interview with Sky News Australia the discomfort that was felt by many Jewish women. What’s your take on that, and has any action been taken?
I prefer not to comment on individual allegations simply because I don’t know the ins and outs of them yet. Quite clearly, though, these two individuals let the community, their patients, the hospital and themselves down. We can’t have that type of behavior going on, particularly in a healthcare setting but also in the broader community. We have a very big responsibility when we look after people in vulnerable situations. Yes, it is an enormous privilege, but it must always be about putting patient safety first and delivering the very best care and treatment in a kind and compassionate way.
What type of action has the Health Ministry undertaken to ensure that Jewish people feel safe when going to hospitals in New South Wales?
We’ve been engaging with the Jewish Board of Deputies and a number of rabbis, who went to Bankstown Hospital and met with Muslim leaders. Through social media channels, they have put out communications to urge the Jewish community that this was a one-off incident, one that was very serious but doesn’t reflect the safety and quality of healthcare that patients receive in our hospitals.
We’ve also been engaging in a forum with the Jewish community to make sure that they can see what we’re doing to make them feel safe. In relation to those individuals, the New South Wales Health Ministry moved very quickly with the regulating body to make sure that their registration was suspended. That was critical, because it means that they cannot work in another healthcare setting, which is tremendously important.
To read more, subscribe to Ami
