Israeli influencer who posted video of NSW nurses making antisemitic comments speaks out

An Israeli content creator has spoken for the first time since he was “threatened” by two Sydney nurses.

An Israeli content creator has spoken for the first time since he exposed antisemitic comments from two Sydney nurses made during a chance encounter online.

Max Veifer was on front pages around Australia within a few short hours of uploading a clip that allegedly showed Ahmad “Rashad” Nadir and his female colleague Sarah Abu Lebdeh boasting about refusing to treat, and even killing Israeli patients.

The footage, shared with Veifer’s 102,000 TikTok followers, led to the suspension of Ahmad Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh, two nurses at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital.

It has also now triggered a police investigation, handled by the Strike Force Pearl unit which focuses on antisemitic incidents in the state.

He spoke with Sky News’ Sharri Markson — who first alerted the video to NSW health minister Ryan Park on Wednesday — to discuss the situation, and the “tremendous anti-Semitism going on in Australia.”

“I create content where I expose people, I talk with people all over the world,” Mr Veifer said, explaining how he forced himself to keep his composure as he was verbally berated.

“As soon as they found out I was from Israel they started cursing me and threatening me.

“I had a mission to accomplish to expose them, I had to stay calm.”

He said the encounter has actually made him worry about the next time he’s in hospital.

“They should launch another investigation to see if they’ve done anything in the past. I’ve exposed two nurses, but how many else are there?”

“Seeing medical staff who are supposed to treat people, everyone, seeing them saying these things made me sad. I don’t know who I can trust anymore?

“If I go under anaesthesia, can I trust these doctors? Should I tell them I’m from Israel?”

Max Veifer spoke with Sharri Markson on Wednesday night.

Veifer has built a following across Instagram and TikTok. He frequently uses Chatruletka and Omegle, which are online platforms that pair users in random video chats, to expose instances of antisemitism and also learn English.

Most of Veifer’s content appears to come from conversations on the site, and the footage involving Nadir and Abu Lebdeh appears to have been recorded there as well.

He has previously posted similar videos exposing individuals making antisemitic remarks in online chatrooms. In one video featuring an American man, Veifer refers to Israel as “the holy land” and prompts him to give him “one sentence” about how he feels about the current situation in the Middle East.

An overseas social media influencer found his face plastered all over the Australian press after posting video of two nurses in Sydney’s west online.

NSW nurses stood down

Mr Nadir and Ms Lebdeh were both stood down after they made the “vile” comments that made their way to social media.

Mr Nadir previously fled from Afghanistan to Australia with his family as a teenager and worked one day a week at Observatory Tower Medical Centre in Sydney’s CBD and Bankstown Hospital.

According to social media, he became an Australian citizen four years ago.

According to the medical centre’s website, Mr Nadir “comes from a background in hospital and emergency nursing and assists our doctors with a broad range of clinical duties”.

The clinic has since scrubbed his name from its website.

Ms Lebdeh is reportedly “sorry” for her remarks and has been experiencing an extreme panic attack in the wake of the controversy, a man identifying himself as her uncle told The Australian on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr Nadir previously fled from Afghanistan to Australia with his family as a teenager and worked one day a week at Observatory Tower Medical Centre in Sydney’s CBD and Bankstown Hospital. Picture: Supplied

“I’m trying to calm her down to see what the f**k happened,” he said outside her home. “She’s been a nurse for God knows how long. She’s never done anything to hurt anyone.”

The apology came after family members confronted Australian journalist Liam Mendes in heated scenes.

Ms Lebdeh is believed to have graduated with a Diploma of Nursing five years ago, and has been working at NSW Health since February 2021.

Her uncle insisted that she posed no threat to Israeli patients.

“No, she would never be a threat,” he said, claiming she will “come out and make a statement” in time.

“You can’t talk to her now because she’s having a panic attack, an anxiety attack. We might be calling the ambulance for her.”

He was unsure whether she had spoken to police about the incident.

Originally published as Israeli influencer who posted video of NSW nurses making antisemitic comments speaks out