Two Australian nurses who publicly declared their refusal to treat Israelis have been prohibited for two years from working with or providing services to participants of the country’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Jewish News reported on Tuesday. This significant action follows their prior suspension from Bankstown Hospital in Sydney.
Ahmad Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh were recorded in a conversation with TikTok user Max Veifer this past February, where they stated they would send Israelis “to hell”.
The video prompted a New South Wales state police investigation, during which both nurses allegedly expressed regret, asserting their remarks were not intended to be taken seriously.
Lebdeh had been charged with threatening violence to a group, using a carriage service to threaten to kill, and using a carriage service to menace, harass, or offend. If convicted, she could face up to 22 years in prison.
Nadir has also been charged with federal offenses, including using a carriage service to menace, harass, or cause offense, as well as possession of a prohibited drug.
Both Nadir and Abu Lebdeh currently remain free on bail and have not yet entered pleas. They are scheduled to appear in court on July 29. As part of their bail conditions, they are prohibited from leaving Australia or using social media while their cases are ongoing.
The nationwide ban on the two, which went into effect on May 9, prevents Nadir and Lebdeh from working with NDIS participants or performing any role for or on behalf of NDIS providers across all Australian states and territories.