Billionaire James Packer tells Sky News he’s shocked by the rise in anti-Semitism in Australia

Billionaire James Packer says the video of two nurses threatening Israeli patients is something you would expect to see in a movie, not coming from Australia.

Billionaire James Packer says he’s been left horrified by the rise in anti-Semitism across Australia after seeing the video of two NSW nurses threatening Israeli patients.

The nurses, who have since been identified as Ahmad “Rashad” Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh, were filmed wearing their NSW Health uniforms as they threatened Israeli patients in an anti-Semitic tirade during a video call with Israeli influencer Max Veifer this month.

In the video call, Mr Nadir tells Mr Veifer he was eventually “going to get killed”.

James Packer says the video the two NSW nurses filmed is like something you’d expect to see in a movie and not real life. Picture: Sky News

The Australian businessman joined Sky News’ Sharri Markson ahead of its anti-Semitism summit on Thursday and said he was shocked to learn the video had come from Australia.

“It’s scene from a Hollywood movie, it’s not something you could believe is a real-life situation,” he said.

“It doesn’t sound plausible, you wouldn’t believe it could be true. It’s beyond imagination, it’s that terrible.”

Mr Packer, who said he’d never experienced racism despite having “many Jewish friends”, said he wished more Australians better understood the impact anti-Semitism could have on society.

“We’re dealing with hatred that’s thousands of years old and that’s obviously the tragedy of what’s going on at the moment and it’s such a complex situation,” he said.

“That’s something that’s really disappointing.

“Things like the Holocaust should be in the education curriculum.

“It’s hard to imagine anything more horrific that’s ever happened to a religious … half the Jews in the world were obviously killed in the Second World War.

“It should be taught widely. People should know about it.”

Stream the Antisemitism Summit at SkyNews.com.au/AntisemitismSummit.

James Packer spoke to Sky News’ Sharri Markson about his disgust in the rise in anti-Semitism across the country. Picture: Sky News

Mr Packer said he was hopeful things would start to improve globally in the wake of the Trump administration.

“I think we’re all more hopeful probably more than we were a couple of months ago,” he said.

“I think the change in government in America is at least going to bring some impetus to the situation, but clearly it’s been a horrific period. It’s just awful, from every side.”

Mr Packer urged Australians to show more tolerance as the country navigated this difficult period.

“I think everyone should try to be tolerant, trying to be tolerant is easier said than done and I get to do that from a position of privilege,” he said.

“I try to remember how lucky I am every day and try to do that through being grateful by how lucky I am.

“If you can be tolerant, that’s what we need. We need more religious tolerance, we need tolerance in a whole set of areas in life.

“We certainly need more religious tolerance, as this is not the right way forward with what’s happening at the moment.”

Originally published as Billionaire James Packer tells Sky News he’s shocked by the rise in anti-Semitism in Australia