Jewish Group Urges Screening for ‘Dangerous Extremists’ Among Health Staff After Nurse Kill Threats

Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital where two NSW public hospital nurses allegedly made anti-Semitic comments and boasted they would kill Israeli patients in Sydney, Australia on Feb. 13, 2025. AAP Image/Dean Lewins

The Australian Jewish Association (AJA) is calling for health ministers around the country to screen for “dangerous extremists” after two nurses were seen on social media threatening to kill Israelis or send them to hell.

Sarah Abu Lebdeh and Ahmad Rashad Nadir have both been deregistered as nurses in Australia after they bragged about harming Israeli patients.

In response, the AJA said health care staff “must be screened to identify extremists” and raised concerns there may be other workers with concerning views within the New South Wales (NSW) health system.

“The video of two jihadist nurses exposed as saying they would not treat, or would kill, or have killed Israeli patients is shocking. But much anecdotal evidence suggests they are not isolated aberrant outliers,” the association said.

“There may be many health care staff harbouring dangerous extremist views who present potential risks to Israeli and Jewish patients. AJA has written to all state ministers for health calling on them to implement screening to identify potential dangerous extremists.”

In the letter, they said the incident at Bankstown hospital had sent shockwaves through the Jewish community and created an unprecedented wave of apprehension among Jews about receiving health care in Australian hospitals.

The AJA also note they have received many expressions of concern from individual Jewish Australians and said the views expressed in the video were “intolerable in any health care environment where people are particularly vulnerable.”

“We are concerned this may be the tip of the iceberg. Nurses and nurses unions have been active in anti-Israel and pro-terror public demonstrations,” they said.

The AJA also raised concerns about social media groups claiming to be made up of nurses, some with thousands of members, spreading anti-Israel and anti-Semitic extremist content. They noted there were “nurses who have taken Palestinian flag badges to hospital.”

“An urgent review is required. What other ‘Palestine’ related or anti-Israel political activities have been conducted within our public hospitals?” the AJA said.

“Do you approve nurses in uniform joining anti-Israel activities. The social media of hospital staff needs to be screened to identify potential extremists.”

However, NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce reassured the community that NSW Health provides “safe, compassionate, and high-quality care” to people of all backgrounds and cultures on Feb. 14.

She said the wonderful and dedicated people who work for NSW Health had continued to provide kind and compassionate care to all.

“NSW Health’s CORE values—collaboration, openness, respect and empowerment—underpin how NSW Health staff interact with patients and each other,” she said.

How Has the Video Been Received?

The Jewish community, nurses, and politicians from both sides have politics have widely expressed concern about the views expressed by the two suspended Bankstown hospital nurses.

In an unedited video released by Israeli influencer Max Veifer, female nurse Lebdeh was heard saying: “I won’t treat them, I will kill them” when asked about Israeli patients.

Male nurse Nadir added, “You have no idea how many Israelis ... came to this hospital and I sent them to Jahannam [the Islamic term for hell], I literally sent them to Jahannam.”

NSW Police told The Epoch Times that inquiries into the two nurses are currently ongoing.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park visited the Bankstown hospital after the incident and reassured the Jewish community that authorities were reviewing past patient records.

Park said there was no evidence at this stage that patients had been adversely impacted by the actions of the two nurses, but noted it was still early in the investigation.

“I want to be clear, we’ve only really began that detailed work and I have to do this thoroughly, it has to be done very very diligently, because I want to be able to make sure that I can assure the community,” he said on ABC News Breakfast.

“And in particular the Jewish community who were hurting over the last 24 hours, that they can continue to have faith confidence and trust in our health and hospital system here in New South Wales.”

The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association said on Feb. 15 that they stand against all forms of hatred and bigotry.

“What was said by individuals in their own capacity does not reflect our professions, and we look forward to continuing to provide our communities with the best care we can—regardless of their backgrounds,” the association said.