‘I stand with them,’ says Bankstown man, of nurses who insist they won't treat Israelis
A Bankstown man has echoed the vile anti-Semitic rants of NSW nurses who threatened the lives of Israeli patients, saying “they have a free right to say whatever they want”.
NSW
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A Bankstown man has echoed the vile anti-Semitic rants of NSW nurses who threatened the lives of Israeli patients, pouring scorn on claims hate views are not widespread.
The resident told Sky News he backed the nurses, saying “they have a free right to say whatever they want, you know?”
“I stand with them. Yes. In any way possible.”
He justified the viral anti-Semitic video, pointing to “all the kids that Jews have killed” in Palestine.
His comments come after NSW Health nurses Ahmad “Rashad” Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh featured in a video, recorded by an Israeli influencer, saying they would refuse to treat Israeli patients. Ms Abu Lebdeh said she would “kill them”.
The video prompted Lebanese Muslim Association secretary Gamel Kheir to defend the Islamic community, saying it had “no tolerance for anti-Semitism”.
Meanwhile, a Sydney lawyer and activist warned fellow Palestinians not to engage with social media bloggers, saying the video of the nurses was intended to entrap.
A founding partner of law firm LawBridge, Ramia Sultan, who calls herself “the hijab lawyer”, said while the recording was “a very concerning and disturbing conversation” it was designed to entrap and expose the two nurses from Blacktown Hospital.
In a social media post on Instagram, she says: “For someone who’s been involved in the movement, we have heard and seen far worse come from the other side.
“We have had threats. We have had blatant killing. Genocide. We had hospitals completely held hostage, massacred, genocide being live-streamed and complete silence by media outlets, by our leadership here.”
Delivering a message to young activists, she went on to say: “My message is to young people in particular, you are being watched and nothing and nowhere is safe.
“There is no such thing as safe space. Do not trust anyone on social media.
“Don’t engage in conversations like this, seeking to especially entrap.
“It will be ultimately used against you and potentially used to completely impact on your future.”
She added: “We don’t live in a situation where you can freely have a conversation, whether you mean things or don’t mean things, if you are Palestinian or pro-Palestinian, if you are an Arab, and especially if you are a Muslim, God forbid, you will be met with the high end of the stick.”
Ms Sultan is a member of the Australian Palestine Activist Network Board and is a practising solicitor specialising in wills, probate, estate planning and Islamic succession law.
She is also an adviser to the Australian National Imams Council.
Ms Sultan has been contacted for comment.
Originally published as ‘I stand with them,’ says Bankstown man, of nurses who insist they won't treat Israelis
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