‘Kill them’: Workers in NSW Health uniforms claim they won’t treat Israelis in ‘sickening’ video
Two nurses at a Sydney hospital have been stood down after they said they would kill Israeli patients in a video NSW’s health minister said made him “sick to his stomach”.
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Two Sydney nurses have been stood down after disturbing footage emerged of the pair saying they would “kill” and refuse to treat Israeli patients.
It’s understood the clip, which showed two workers from Bankstown Hospital wearing NSW Health uniforms, was filmed during a live stream on Tuesday night.
The video shows the pair speaking to a popular Jewish influencer in Israel.
During the conversation, the man who claims to be a doctor tells the influencer: “I’m gonna be really honest with you … you actually got really, really beautiful eyes, but I’m so upset that you’re Israeli, like eventually you’re going to get killed.”
“Why do you think I’m going to get killed?” the influencer asks, before the female nurse interjects.
“It’s Palestine’s country, not your country you piece of s***,” she says.
“One day your time will come and you will die the most,” she continues before the video cuts 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.”
Wanting to ask a question, the influencer begins to say: “Let’s say an Israeli, God forbid …”
“I won’t treat them, I’ll kill them,” she interrupted. “Not God forbid, I hope to God.”
“You have no idea how many Israeli … dog came to this hospital and … ,” the man added, gesturing a knife through his neck.
“I literally sent them to Jahannam.”
Jahannam is the Arabic word for “hell”.
NSW police confirmed they are investigating the video, announcing Strike Force Pearl, which investigates anti-Semitic attacks, has taken carriage of the investigation.
“NSW Health, believe they have identified the individuals involved and are currently assisting detectives with their investigation,” a NSW police spokesperson said in a statement.
“A thorough investigation is underway.”
No charges have been laid.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park condemned the “appalling” video.
“The comments are vile, dehumanising and unacceptable,” he said.
“They made me sick to my stomach.”
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“If the investigation concludes that this behaviour has occurred, these individuals will no longer be working for NSW Health,” Mr Park continued.
“These comments do not reflect the values of NSW Health or the broader NSW community.”
“We cannot afford to have people like that in a health system. Everyone is entitled to access NSW health and hospital services without featuring for their life and without having that sort of hate-filled attitude come through some of our health care workers,” he added during an interview on 2GB.
‘Disgusting’: PM responds
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese labelled the footage “sickening and shameful”.
“The antisemitic video circulating today is disgusting. The comments are vile,” he said in a statement on X.
“These antisemitic comments, driven by hate, have no place in our health system and no place anywhere in Australia.
“These individuals have been stood down by NSW Authorities. They have rightly been referred to the NSW Police for criminal investigation.”
Mr Albanese concluded by stating those who have committed criminal antisemitic acts will “face the full force of our laws”.
In a joint statement, Federal Health Minister Mark Butler and Federal Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke said the government “utterly condemns the appalling video”.
“This video is as chilling as it is vile. The comments made in this video are sickening and totally unacceptable,” they said.
Mr Butler and Mr Burke said they welcomed the news the individuals involved have been stood down.
“Health workers have a solemn duty to treat and heal everyone who comes before them needing help. The vast majority hold to that oath,” they said.
“The idea that you would single out a particular group in our community and indicate you wouldn’t care for them runs against every single principle in our health care system.”
‘Act of bastardry’
Addressing reporters on Wednesday morning, Mr Park said those people, subject to an investigation, will “not ever be working for NSW Health ever again”.
“There is no place for this sort of perspective in our society.”
Mr Park apologised to the Jewish community.
“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.”
Addressing healthcare employees, he said: “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.”
‘Tip of the iceberg’
The co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry Alex Ryvchin said the video was “utterly sickening to watch”.
“Their unrepentant, gleeful hatred is the precursor to the violence we are experiencing in our country and it must be stamped out,” he said on X.
“No doubt we will see the defence that Jews have brought this hatred upon themselves through Israel’s war in Gaza.
“That these people are merely traumatised from the images of the war. They have it backwards. It is this hatred and dehumanisation of Jews that causes wars and the carnage of October 7 and if left unchecked it will further degrade our society. Time for consequences.”
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Ryvchin warned the incident was just “the tip of the iceberg”.
“This is a warning sign once again to all Australians about the evil that exists in our midst, the need to understand this ideology and to confront it, and the harm that it does to all Australians,” he said.
Mr Ryvchin said for months he’s heard from medical practitioners who have been warning about extreme content posted by other nurses and doctors online.
“This is clearly the first time it has gone to such a public, brazen level. But I think we’d be kidding ourselves if we thought they were isolated individuals. I think that this is merely the tip of the iceberg.”
Medical community responds
Dr Michael Krasovitsky, who is Jewish and works as a medical oncologist at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney said it was “terrifying” to hear the comments made by fellow healthcare workers.
“I love my job, and I feel very connected to working within NSW Health. To hear that two hopefully rogue colleagues of mine so deeply hate Israeli and Jewish people is simply terrifying,” Dr Krasovitsky said.
“No matter our ethnicity, political beliefs, sexuality, gender or other defining characteristics, we all deserve respect, and all deserve compassionate and best-practice health care.
“I will hold my head up high when I next provide the best care I can to someone whose beliefs don’t align with my own”.
The Australian Medical Association (NSW) has condemned the “anti-Semitic commentary” within the health system.
“On behalf of NSW doctors, we want to make it very clear that doctors, nurses and other health practitioners are committed to providing the best possible care to every patient in NSW,” it said in a statement.
“The Declaration of Geneva states doctors will not permit considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social standing or any other factor to intervene between their duty and their patient.
There is no place for hatred or division in the health system and this behaviour will not be tolerated. Our hospitals must remain safe havens for all patients.”
Originally published as ‘Kill them’: Workers in NSW Health uniforms claim they won’t treat Israelis in ‘sickening’ video
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