A Sydney nurse who was sacked over a viral video in which she allegedly threatened Israeli patients has had a charge of threatening to kill dropped. Sarah Abu Lebdeh, 27, appeared at Downing Centre local court on Tuesday, where prosecutors withdrew the charge of using a carriage service to threaten to kill.
Abu Lebdeh still faces two other charges: threatening violence to a group and using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence. She has not yet entered pleas to these charges and remains on bail under strict conditions, including a ban on social media and leaving the country.
The charges stem from a video chat with Israeli influencer Max Veifer, who shared the footage online. In the video, Abu Lebdeh and her colleague Ahmad Rashad Nadir, 28, allegedly said they would refuse to treat Israeli patients and appeared to threaten violence. The pair were working a night shift at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital at the time.
Nadir, who was hospitalised after the video emerged, has been charged with using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence, and possession of a prohibited drug. He has pleaded not guilty to the drug charge and is yet to enter a plea to the other charge. His lawyer said outside court that he would not negotiate with prosecutors and the matter would take a long time to resolve.
The comments attracted nationwide condemnation, including from the prime minister and NSW premier. Both nurses have been prohibited from working as nurses nationwide by Australia's health practitioner watchdog, and their registrations have been suspended in NSW.
