Members of the Jewish community and supporters gather for a protest rally against rising antisemitism at Martin Place in Sydney, Jan. 21, 2025. Photo: AAP Image/Steven Saphore via Reuters Connect

An Australian nurse working at a hospital in Sydney has been charged with making threats after saying in comments caught on video that she would refuse to treat Israeli patients and instead kill them.

The latest legal step comes amid law enforcement’s scramble to combat a wave of antisemitic incidents in recent months that Australia’s spy chief has called his agency’s top priority.

On Tuesday night, 26-year-old Sarah Abu Lebdeh was arrested and charged with federal offenses, including threatening violence against a group and using a carriage service to threaten, menace, and harass, New South Wales (NSW) Police said in a statement. If convicted, she faces up to 22 years in prison.

The arrest follows an incident at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital in Sydney, in which Abu Lebdeh and her fellow nurse, Ahmed Rashid Nadir, were seen in an online video posing as doctors and making inflammatory statements during a night-shift discussion with Israeli influencer Max Veifer.

The footage, which circulated widely, showed Lebdeh stating she would refuse to treat an Israeli patient and instead kill them, while Nadir used a throat-slitting gesture and claimed to have already killed many.

“It’s Palestine’s country, not your country, you piece of s—t,” Lebdeh told Veifer.

“One day your time will come, and you will die the most disgusting death,” she added in a sentence riddled with obscenities.

After reviewing patient records, the hospital found no evidence that Lebdeh or Nadir had harmed patients.

NSW’s Health Minister Ryan Park confirmed that both nurses had been suspended and would be permanently barred from employment within the state’s health system.

According to the NSW Police statement, Lebdeh was released on bail and is set to appear in court on March 19. At this time, Nadir has not been charged.

The incident is the latest in a surge of antisemitic acts across Australia since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza in October 2023, with Jewish institutions targeted in arson attacks and businesses defaced.

Law enforcement in Sydney and Melbourne, home to the majority of Australia’s Jewish population, is actively investigating hate crimes, including the recent discovery of a trailer containing explosives and a list of potential Jewish targets.

In a Senate committee hearing on Tuesday, Mike Burgess, the director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO), the country’s domestic intelligence agency, said that antisemitism is now the agency’s top priority.

“In terms of threats to life, [antisemitism is] my agency’s number one priority because of the weight of incidents we’re seeing play out in this country,” Burgess told the Senate. “Antisemitism and significant antisemitism acts are prominent in our investigation caseload at this point in time.”

In a recent 2025 threat assessment declassified by ASIO, Burgess warned that the surge in antisemitic attacks across Australia could escalate, as extremists are increasingly self-radicalizing and “choose their own adventure” toward potential terrorist activity.

“Threats transitioned from harassment and intimidation to specific targeting of Jewish communities, places of worship, and prominent figures,” he said. “I am concerned these attacks have not yet plateaued.”

After the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of and massacre across southern Israel, several Jewish sites in Australia have been relentlessly targeted with vandalism and even arson.

A recent report from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) found that antisemitism in Australia quadrupled to record levels following the outbreak of the Gaza war, with Australian Jews experiencing more than 2,000 antisemitic incidents between October 2023 and September 2024.

Burgess also described how narratives originally centered on “freeing Palestine” have expanded to include incitements to “kill the Jews.”

During the Senate hearing, Burgess praised the “strong law enforcement responses,” stating that the police “have done exceptionally well.” However, he also addressed criticism over delays in arrests and responses to antisemitic incidents, saying investigations take time and are necessary to fully grasp the problem.

The post Australian Nurse Charged for Threatening Israeli Patients as Spy Chief Flags Antisemitism as Top Concern first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Illustrative: A Palestinian man walks near Israeli military vehicles, during an Israeli raid in Jenin, in the West Bank, August 31, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Ammar Awad

I’m currently in Oaxaca, a beautiful city in Southern Mexico known for its cultural festivals and distinctive cuisine.

Last weekend, Oaxaca hosted a film festival. To my surprise, it featured the movie No Other Land playing at a prominent venue in the center of town, in the most prime viewing slot both Friday and Saturday nights.

No Other Land is a documentary about the destruction of a Palestinian village in the West Bank by Israel’s armed forces in order to construct a training ground for tanks. The movie details the struggles of the village’s residents, along with an Israeli ally, to protect their homes. It features village residents frantically removing possessions as houses are destroyed, and children playing amongst the ruins.

I am not in a position to judge the accuracy of this particular movie, but unfortunately there is no question that Israel has at times violated the rights of West Bank residents. However, even if everything the movie depicts is correct, it’s bad for Israelis and Palestinians alike for it to be so widely shown.

Other than the one ally of the village, the movie portrays Israelis as violent land-grabbers who callously bring enormous suffering on the village. There is even a scene where a settler shoots a Palestinian at point blank range. The effect of seeing this will inevitably be to stir up yet more animosity towards Israelis and Jews. Considering the current torrent of antisemitic hatred we now face, anything that encourages more religious, national, or ethnic strife risks further violating the right of Jewish people to live securely, free of discrimination.

For example, in the center of Oaxaca stands the ornate and historic Santo Domingo Church, and Grand Catedral de la Asuncion stands in the central square of Mexico City. In both of these places, visitors are welcome to come view the astonishing architecture, elaborate artwork, and other treasures. I myself visited both sites — and was able to walk freely and safely.

However, on that same visit to Mexico City, I also tried to attend a synagogue on Shabbat morning. When I arrived at a shul in the Polanco neighborhood, I found it surrounded by an imposing fence and barbed wire. Numerous private guards absolutely refused to let me enter. Explaining that I was Jewish and passing through and even speaking Hebrew accomplished nothing. They were under strict orders: No one not known and vetted by the community enters the secure area inside the heavy fence.

And sadly, this is with good reason. We’ve recently seen synagogues attacked around the world and individuals merely appearing to be Jewish singled out for vicious violence. This stark difference between Jewish and Christian houses of worship gives us a simple lesson- Israel and Jews must be humanized and protected, not made the subject of yet more hate.

In his 19th century seminal work on lashon hara, or slanderous speech, the Chafetz Chaim makes clear that derogatory speech, even if it is factually true, falls squarely within the Torah’s prohibition of slander. In fact, he states that slander based on truth may even be worse than falsehoods (Chafetz Chaim negative prohibition 3:2). The reason is that all derogatory speech necessarily increases strife and anger.

Furthermore, this movie depicts a complete conflation between the two-sides. Any Jewish settler who commits an act of violence against a Palestinian civilian is seen as a murderer, and castigated by the Israeli judicial system. In the Palestinian territories, however, anyone who commits an act of violence against a Jew is seen as a heroic Martyr, and is paid a salary for life via the Palestinian Authority’s “pay-for-slay” program.

Of course, one may argue that publicizing violations of Palestinian rights is necessary as part of a constructive effort to right those wrongs. The Chafetz Chaim himself acknowledges that derogatory speech is permitted when needed to stop harm or prevent a loss — such as by giving a warning. But these warnings may not be given out of anger, intent to harm, or desire for revenge.

Maybe in Israel itself this movie could catalyze some change. But here in Mexico, what purpose does it serve? Portraying Israelis as violent, greedy land grabbers will obviously stir up yet more hatred, but how will it help the situation in the Middle East? Sadly, the movie’s creators seem to have shown no regard for the harm it may cause to Jewish communities, aiming to distribute it far and wide — and complaining bitterly that in spite of the film being nominated for an Oscar, major distributors have so far not picked it up.

To work towards a better future, we need to show the complexity of the conflict and humanize both sides. This is even more important in countries far from the Middle East, where audiences generally have less context and information upon which to base their opinions. In its zeal to help West Bank residents, this movie is only stirring up yet more anger that will hurt Jews and harden positions, making peace yet more elusive for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

Shlomo Levin is the author of the Human Rights Haggadah, and he writes about legal developments related to human rights issues of interest to the Jewish community. You can find him at https://hrhaggadah.com/.

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Pro-Israel rally in Times Square, New York City, US, Oct. 8, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Jeenah Moon

Overwhelming majorities of American voters want Israel to permanently evict Hamas from Gaza, support Israel’s fight against the Palestinian terrorist group, and believe the Jewish state should carry out preemptive military strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, according to a new Harvard CAPS/Harris poll.

The poll — conducted from Feb. 19-20 among registered US voters — found that the vast majority of Americans support Israel and hope the Jewish state succeeds in its defensive military operations against Hamas. The data undermines the notion that Israel’s war against Hamas has weakened its popularity among the American people. 

A striking 78 percent of Americans believe Hamas should be permanently removed from the Gaza Strip and “not allowed to govern” the Palestinian enclave, the survey found. In comparison, just 22 percent of respondents said they believe the terrorist group should be allowed to maintain its governing role in Gaza.

The findings were consistent across political parties, with 81 percent of Republicans and 74 percent of Democrats stating that Hamas should be replaced as the governing body of Gaza. In contrast, 26 percent of Democrats and 19 percent of Republicans indicated that Hamas’s governing capabilities should not be dismantled. 

Meanwhile, 76 percent of respondents agreed that Iran’s nuclear facilities, which US and Israel officials believe are designed to build nuclear weapons, “should be destroyed.” Conversely, 24 percent believe the Iranian nuclear sites, which the regime claims are for peaceful purposes, should be kept intact.

Furthermore, 57 percent of Americans said they agree that the US “should support Israel in airstrikes to destroy Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities.” In contrast, 43 percent believe the US should not support such preemptive attacks.

The poll also found that 43 percent of Americans hold a “favorable” view of Israel, compared to 30 percent who hold an unfavorable view of the Jewish state. Hamas, the terrorist group that runs Gaza, is massively unpopular, garnering “favorable” responses from only 8 percent of respondents and “unfavorable” responses from 63 percent.

Only 13 percent of Americans hold a “favorable” opinion of the Palestinian Authority (PA) — the governing entity that runs parts of the West Bank. Around 46 percent of Americans have an “unfavorable” opinion of the PA, according to the poll. 

More than three-quarter of Americans support Israel over Hamas in the Gaza war and believe Hamas should immediately release the remaining hostages it kidnapped during its invasion of the Jewish state on Oct. 7, 2023.

Indeed, 77 percent of Americans indicated they support Israel, compared to 23 percent who support Hamas. Though both main US parties strongly support Israel, Republicans are more solidly aligned behind the Jewish state. Among Democrats, 69 percent said they support Israel and 31 percent support Hamas. Republicans displayed firmer backing of Israel, with 85 percent supporting the Jewish state and 15 percent supporting Hamas. 

Likewise, 79 percent of the American public believe Hamas “must release all remaining hostages without any conditions or face serious consequences.” About 74 percent of Democrats and 86 percent of Republicans believe that the terrorist group should hand over the remaining captives in Gaza. In contrast, 25 percent of Democrats and 14 percent of Republicans believe that Hamas should not face serious consequences for failing to release the hostages.

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