Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described footage of hospital staff as “unwelling and shameful,” following revelations about two nurses at Sydney Hospital who appeared to express hostility toward Israeli patients. New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb condemned the incident as a new low in the context of rising anti-Semitism in Australia, stating, “This is racial hatred at a level I’ve never seen before.”
The video, shared by Israeli influencer Max Veifer, shows the nurses allegedly boasting about refusing treatment for Israelis. During the footage, one nurse reportedly said, “I won’t treat them, I’ll kill them,” while other derogatory remarks were made about Israeli patients. The context of the footage is unclear and has not been independently verified.
While health officials initially supported the nurses, they later stated that the nurses would not return to work in the state’s health services. New South Wales Health Minister Ryan Park and Prime Minister Albanese condemned the video, with Park labeling it as shocking. One of the nurses, Ahmad Nadir, later apologized and expressed regret over the situation, with his lawyer indicating that he had no previous criminal background.
Australia has seen a spike in anti-Semitic incidents, including bomb plots and attacks on synagogues, since the outbreak of conflict between Hamas and Israel on October 7, 2023, highlighting concerns about rising racial tensions.
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