The two Australian nurses who in February spoke about killing or not treating Israelis have been banned for two years from working within their country’s network of facilities for treating disabled people, local media reported Wednesday.
In addition to their ban from the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Sarah Abu Lebdeh and Ahmad Rashad Nadir and are awaiting trial next month for abusing their public position and facilities to harass or intimidate. Nadir is also facing charges of possessing an illegal drug.
Their licenses to practice nursing anywhere in Australia have been suspended, pending internal reviews and the outcome of their trial. The new ban makes it impossible for them to work in any capacity within he NDIS.
An Israeli blogger, Max Veifer, recorded and published in February his video chat with Lebdeh and Nadir, during which Lebdeh said of Israelis: “I won’t treat them, I will kill them.”
The nurses made these comments after seeing that Veifer was Israeli. They came into contact on an application that connects people from different countries randomly. Nadir, who initially falsely self-identified as a physician, told Veifer, “You have no idea how many Israeli dog[s] came to this hospital, and I send them to jahannam,” Arabic for hell.
The incident, which coincided with an increase in antisemitic incidents in Australia, provoked outrage and drew condemnations from across the political spectrum in the country and beyond.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a statement called the footage “sickening and shameful” and welcomed the removal of Nadir and Abu Lebdeh from the NSW health system.
Both nurses have apologized for their actions, Australian media reported.