Investigations Launched as Australian Nurses Face Suspension for Antisemitic Video

The incident has sparked outrage, prompting swift actions from health officials and government leaders. While the nurses are under investigation, broader concerns about rising antisemitism in Australia are highlighted.

Two nurses from a Sydney hospital have been suspended after a shocking TikTok video surfaced, showing them making violent threats against Israeli patients and bragging about their refusal to treat them. The pair is now subject to an investigation by both the police and New South Wales (NSW) health authorities.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park assured that a "thorough investigation" would be conducted to ensure "no adverse [patient] outcomes" had resulted from the nurses’ actions. However, initial hospital record reviews reportedly revealed no irregularities. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the video as "sickening and shameful," as it began to circulate online, just days after Australia enacted stricter laws to combat hate crimes following a surge of antisemitic incidents.

On Wednesday, authorities announced they believed they had identified the individuals involved. The health minister quickly moved to suspend both nurses, promising they would never again work within the NSW healthcare system. The disturbing video, shared by content creator Max Veifer, depicts a male figure, presenting himself as a doctor, stating, "I'm sorry you're Israeli," before making a throat-slitting gesture. A female nurse reinforces this sentiment by declaring she would “kill” Israelis and expresses her intent not to provide treatment to them.

Albanese voiced strong disapproval via social media, emphasizing that such "antisemitic comments" driven by hate have no place within the Australian health system or society. Health Minister Park extended an apology to the Jewish community, assuring them of their rights to expect "first class" medical care in NSW. He denounced the views expressed in the video, stating that they are wholly intolerable within their healthcare system.

This incident occurs against a backdrop of heightened antisemitic sentiments in Australia, evidenced by recent arson and graffiti attacks on properties in Jewish neighborhoods and discovery of dangerous explosives intended for use against Jewish targets. Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, remarked that the video acts as a "warning sign" of the pervasive evil that still exists in society.