A nurse from Sydney was charged with allegedly threatening Israeli patients

The world was outraged and condemned when Sydney nurse Lebdeh was charged for threatening Israeli patients in a video that went viral.

Police have officially charged a Sydney nurse who was suspended due to a widely shared video in which she reportedly threatened Israeli patients. 

The 26-year-old Sarah Abu Lebdeh is charged with three counts: using a carriage service to annoy or cause offense, threatening violence against a group, and threatening to kill. 

Following the revelation of the video, which was shot on an anonymous internet site that links strangers for discussion, Ms. Abu Lebdeh and another man, Ahmad Rashad Nadir, were both suspended from their positions at Bankstown Hospital. 

An Israeli content maker released the video, which seemed to have been shot inside a hospital, and it went viral on the internet right after. According to the video, Ms. Abu Lebdeh and Mr. Nadir made violent comments and boasted about not treating Israeli patients, saying they would “go to hell.” 

According to authorities, there is “no evidence” that the two patients were harmed. But the video caused a stir, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it “vile” and “disgusting.” 

The charges, according to New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb, are an important step in what she called a “complicated investigation,” especially because an international witness was involved. 

She praised detectives for responding quickly in the face of tremendous pressure and public expectation. 

Bail for Ms. Abu Lebdeh was given with tight restrictions. She is set to appear in court again on March 19 and is forbidden from accessing social media or traveling abroad. 

Since Mr. Nadir is presently undergoing medical care, he has not yet been charged. NSW Police did, however, confirm that he is still being investigated. 

The event occurs while antisemitic attacks in Australia are on the upswing. The nation enacted stricter anti-hate crime legislation earlier this month in response to a string of arson and graffiti attacks on Jewish residences, vehicles, and synagogues. 

Authorities in New South Wales found a caravan loaded with power gel explosives in January, which they claimed might result in a “mass casualty event.” A list of Jewish targets in Sydney and a document containing antisemitic views were also found. 

Australian authorities have underlined their commitment to combating hate speech and maintaining public safety as the Sydney nurse case probe continues.