Bankstown Hospital nurses fired after anti-Semitic rant claiming they won’t treat Israelis

Two Sydney nurses have been stood down after they were filmed declaring they refuse to treat Israeli patients and would “kill them” if they presented to their ward.

Two NSW hospital workers have been stood down after they were filmed declaring they refuse to treat Israeli people and would “kill them” if they presented to their ward.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park on Wednesday confirmed the health workers in the “vile” video were Bankstown Hospital nurses and would never work for NSW Health again.

The video emerged on Wednesday morning after the pair had worked the night shift.

Mr Park said an investigation between NSW Police and Health had already commenced and would also look at their interactions with Jewish members of the public.

He confirmed Strike Force Pearl would be leading the investigation.

Mr Park called the “vile, disgusting” comments of the staff an “act of bastardry”.

A screenshot from the Instagram video.

The video, which was uploaded by popular Israeli social media influencer Maxveifer on Wednesday morning, showed the two nurses in NSW Health uniforms speaking to a public chat forum telling the influencer they refuse to treat people of an Israeli background.

In the video, the man says: “You have no idea how many [Israeli people] come to this hospital ... I send to Jahannam”.

Jahannam is the arabic translation for “hell”.

The woman later says: “It’s Palestine’s country, not your country you piece of s**t”.

“One day your time will come. One day you’ll die the most ...” before the recording cuts out.

She goes on to say “when your time comes, I want you to remember my face so you can understand that you will die the most disgusting death”.

The man wearing NSW Health scrubs tells the influencer: “I’m a doctor my man, in a hospital”.

“You’re going to get killed and you’re going to go to (hell jahannam), inshallah (god willing),” he said.

“Those pretty eyes should stay in this world for longer.”

The man and woman then go on to claim they “won’t treat” Israeli people, before the woman said “I’ll kill them” in the video.

The man in NSW Health scrubs (above) was speaking to a Jewish influencer (below) when he made the comments about not treating Israeli people.

The man made a throat-slitting gesture in the video.

Mr Park said at this early stage there was no indication claims Jewish patients had been hurt or killed by the pair were true.

He said a “rapid examination of patient incidents and patient safety issues [had occurred] over the last 12 months” at Bankstown Hospital.

“There is no evidence that they are any different or that there are any more of those incidents at Bankstown than anywhere else,” he said.

“But let’s be clear, that is just a straight away, very quick, immediate desktop look but what we will now do through those agencies … is conduct that thorough investigation to make sure there have been no adverse outcomes as a result of their behaviour.”

Mr Park apologised to the Jewish community that this event had occurred, saying he had spoken with Jewish Board of Deputies President David Ossip this morning about the issue.

“They are vile, disgusting and deranged individuals who have a view that does not reflect their colleagues’ view and does not reflect the health or hospital system that they are part of,” he said.

“It does not reflect their community’s view, and their view is not welcome and will not be welcome ever again in NSW Health as an employee.”

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the nurses would never work for NSW Health again. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Premier Chris Minns assured the public the nurses would not return to the NSW health system.

“We need to send a clear and unambiguous message that if you go to an emergency department or you’re on a ward anywhere in NSW, you’ll be treated by people who are highly trained, highly skilled, and who care about you,” he told 2GB’s Mark Levy.

“I can understand right now, members of the Jewish community, and even those that are not members of the Jewish community, would be appalled at this latest revelation. We just can’t stand for it.

“We understand this undermines the basic confidence in the health system and that these individuals can’t return to wards or public hospitals in NSW.

“We cannot stand for racism and bigotry in our public services. The taxpayers of the state deserve nothing less, and basic decency demands that we don’t have people who operate like this in public services in the state.”

‘UTTERLY SICKENING TO WATCH’

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.

“The brazen way, the open and confident manner in which these people spoke about killing and torturing and wishing death upon Israelis, and particularly coming from our medical professionals ... was a ghastly thing to see.”

“This is a warning sign once again to all Australians about the evil that exists,” Mr Ryvchin said.

He further added that this was another example of Jewish people feeling unsafe in hospitals, citing staff also wearing Palestinian pins.

“I think we got an insight into what ideology stands behind those pins and that sort of insignia,” Mr Ryvchin said.

“Hospitals are a place where people should never feel unsafe.”

Mr Ryvchin called for a stronger vetting process by NSW Health, in fact, he said he was hoping for answers as to “what degree of vetting is occurring, what degree of monitoring of social media of medical practitioners is taking place ... how they are treating reports”.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies David Ossip. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Head of the NSW Board of Jewish Deputies David Ossip called the video “deplorable”.

“The rhetoric captured on the video was deplorable and has no place in our healthcare system.

“That anyone feels comfortable spewing this hatred while wearing NSW branded scrubs is sickening.”

Lynda Ben-Menashe, President National Council of Jewish Women Australia said: “These hateful people are actually nurses, wearing NSW Health scrubs. How despicable that they, who are supposed to be caregivers to all humanity, feel free to express their racist Jew hatred in this way.

“Hospital admission forms ask for the patient’s religion. How can Jewish Australians feel safe knowing there are medical staff like these people charged with their care?” she said.

Multiculturalism Minister Steve Kamper rescribed the video and its contents as “criminal”.

“I have been made aware of a reprehensible video,” he said. “The claims made by these individuals are abhorrent. They are criminal. They have no place in Australian society.

“I support the Health Minister’s strong response to this situation.”

CEO of the Zionist Federation of Australia Alon Cassuto said “Health professionals, who take an oath to do no harm, threatening to kill and send Jewish patients to hell in our hospitals should send a shiver down the spine of every Australian.”

“While we thank the NSW Government for their swift action, this is just another example of the systemic Jew-hatred that has infiltrated every sector of Australian society.”

VIDEO AS ‘CHILLING AS IT IS VILE’

In a statement on Wednesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the “antisemitic video is disgusting”.

“The comments are vile,” he said.

“The footage is sickening and shameful. These anti-Semitic comments, driven by hate, have no place in our health system and no place anywhere in Australia.”

Mr Albanese noted the individuals had been stood down by NSW authorities and “have rightly been referred to the NSW Police for criminal investigation”.

“Individuals found to have committed criminal anti-Semitic acts will face the full force of our laws,” he said.

In a joint statement, federal health Minister Mark Butler and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the “video is as chilling as it is vile”.

“The Albanese Government utterly condemns the appalling video that has circulated on social media of two health workers from Bankstown Hospital,” their statement read.

“We welcome the news that those responsible for the video have been stood down from their jobs and the incident has been referred to police. We fully endorse the swift and decisive action taken by the NSW Government.”

“Health workers have a solemn duty to treat and heal everyone who comes before them needing help. The vast majority hold to that oath.”

”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.”

Coalition health spokeswoman Senator Anne Ruston said the entire hospital’s culture should be investigated.

“No Australian should fear for their safety in our hospitals. Our healthcare system is there to support the health and wellbeing of our entire community, and that must be upheld as a matter of utmost priority,” she said.

“The broader culture of this hospital must be examined to ensure that this is nothing more than an isolated incident from rogue individuals.”

Coalition home affairs spokesman James Paterson added the “sickening video is just another disturbing incident in Australia’s out-of-control anti-Semitism crisis”.

“No one should ever feel unsafe in the hands of staff at a hospital because of their faith,” he said.

A specialist NSW Police squad has been called in to investigate the video.

Officers from Strike Force Pearl, which was set up in December last year to investigate hate crimes with an anti-Semitic focus across Sydney, have taken charge of the incident.

So far 12 people have been charged under the strike force.

Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Message 0481 056 618 or email [e-mail]

Originally published as Bankstown Hospital nurses fired after anti-Semitic rant claiming they won’t treat Israelis