Premier Chris Minns said the two people speaking with a content creator in the video are NSW hospital workers. Photo: Supplied via ABC
- An online video shows two NSW Health nurses making threatening comments about Israelis.
- NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the comments made by the pair were "vile, dehumanising and unacceptable".
- The health department has begun an investigation and NSW Police said they are aware of the matter.
Two NSW Health nurses have been stood down after video emerged showing them allegedly bragging about killing and refusing to treat Israeli patients.
The clip was shared by content creator Max Veifer, who says he is from Israel, speaking to a man and a woman, both of whom have been confirmed to be health workers from Bankstown Hospital in Sydney's south-west.
It is one of several videos on Veifer's account that appear to feature conversations with people in different parts of the world - mainly the Middle East - on the app Chatruletka, which connects users with others at random.
When Veifer tells the male nurse he is from Israel, the man responds that he will be killed and go to "Jahannam", a place akin to hell in Islam.
"I'm so upset that you're Israeli," the man says.
"Eventually you're going to get killed and go to Jahannam, Inshallah."
When Veifer asks why he is going to be killed, a woman comes into the frame of the video.
"It's Palestine's country, not your country, you piece of shit," she says.
The woman says that his "time will come" and that he will die, before her words are beeped out in the video.
"When your time comes, I want you to remember my face so you can understand you will die the most disgusting death," she says, before adding that she won't treat Israelis.
"I won't treat them, I will kill them," she says.
The man then tells Veifer he sends Israelis to Jahannam as he makes a threatening gesture.
The circumstances preceding the pair's comments are unclear as the video contains visible edits.
Israeli content creator Max Veifer posted the video online. Photo: Supplied via ABC
Pair in video confirmed as NSW health workers
NSW Premier Chris Minns confirmed the man and the woman in the video have been identified as health workers from Bankstown Hospital.
"The two individuals have been identified. They're NSW health workers," he told 2GB Sydney on Wednesday morning.
"Both of them have been immediately stood down pending a full investigation.
"We need to send a clear and unambiguous message that if you go to an emergency department, if you're on a ward anywhere in NSW, you will be treated by people who are highly trained and highly skilled that care about you."
Minns said an "ironclad investigation" was needed amid calls for the pair to lose their jobs.
"There's a process to be followed and it will take place as soon as possible."
NSW Police said officers in Strike Force Pearl, established to crackdown on antisemitic incidents in NSW, would carry out an investigation.
NSW Health investigation into nurses, hospital
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the two people involved were nurses and called it "one of the most vile, shocking and appalling videos I have ever seen".
"Two individual healthcare workers behaving in a way that I never thought I would see, representing one of our New South Wales hospitals," he said at a press conference on Wednesday.
"I say to the people of New South Wales, but in particular the Jewish community, I as the New South Wales health minister am so very sorry that you're having to deal with this this morning."
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park slammed the "appalling video" and said an investigation had commenced. Photo: ABC New / Nick Dole
Park said the two nurses subject to the investigation "will not ever be working for New South Wales Health again".
"There is no place in our hospital and health system for this sort of view to ever take place," he said.
"Every single Australian and every single resident of this state should be able to go to their local hospital when they need care and attention and get high-quality care that is safe and effective."
Park said the health department would be looking at Bankstown Hospital to see if there had been similar cases of antisemitism previously.
'Antisemitic video is disgusting', Albanese says
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement the footage was "sickening and shameful" and welcomed their removal from the NSW health system.
"This antisemitic video is disgusting. The comments are vile," he said.
Local MP for Bankstown, Tony Burke, and Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said in a statement the Albanese government condemned the "appalling video".
"These sort of comments - and the hatred that underpins them - have no place in our health system and no place anywhere in Australia."
Jewish community leader condemns video
Alex Ryvchin, the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the video was "utterly sickening to watch".
"This is a warning sign once again to all Australians about the evil that exists in our midst," he said at a press conference.
"People should be able to feel entirely comfortable and be treated based on their condition and their humanity, and not to be dehumanised like the way we saw in that video."
Alex Ryvchin said he had spoken with members of the Jewish community following the video's circulation. Photo: ABC News / Digby Werthmuller
NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said he found the video "shocking".
"Most people will consider this to be unacceptable speech in any context, but especially from an employee of the New South Wales public service," he said.
Mookhey acknowledged the majority of health workers "would absolutely reject the values that have been expressed in this video".
Australia Medical Association (AMA) president Kathryn Austin said the company condemned "in the strongest possible terms today's antisemitic commentary within the health system".
"The Declaration of Geneva states doctors will not permit considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social standing, or any other factor to intervene between their duty and their patient," she said in a statement.
"There is no place for hatred or division in the health system and this behaviour will not be tolerated. Our hospitals must remain safe havens for all patients."
- ABC
