New South Wales health former nurse Sarah Abu Lebdeh arrives surrounded by supporters at the Downing Centre local court in Sydney.
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A nurse who was dismissed from her position due to her allegedly provocative statements is no longer facing accusations of threatening to harm Israeli patients, as prosecutors have decided to retract that specific charge.

Sarah Abu Lebdeh, 27, and Ahmad Rashad Nadir, 28, sparked national condemnation when they were recorded saying they would refuse to treat Israelis and appearing to threaten violence towards them.
The pair were working a night shift at southwest Sydney‘s Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital at the time of the alleged threats, made through an online video chat platform in February.
New South Wales health former nurse Sarah Abu Lebdeh arrives surrounded by supporters at the Downing Centre local court in Sydney.
Sarah Abu Lebdeh is on bail under strict conditions, barring her from using social media or leaving the country. (Sydney Morning Herald)

Charges were laid after footage was shared online by another party to the Chatruletka meet-up, Israeli influencer Max Veifer.

Abu Lebdeh faced charges of threatening violence against a group, using a communication service to issue death threats, and using a communication service to intimidate, harass, or offend.

But the allegation that she threatened to kill Israeli patients was withdrawn by prosecutors today in Downing Centre Local Court.

Abu Lebdeh is yet to enter pleas to the remaining two charges, which will proceed with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

She is on bail under strict conditions, barring her from using social media or leaving the country.

After a video surfaced, her former colleague Nadir, who was hospitalized, was charged in March with using a communication service to intimidate, harass, or offend and was also found in possession of an illegal substance.

New South Wales Health former nurse Ahmed Rashid Nadir arrives at the Downing Centre local court in Sydney
Ahmed Rashid Nadir pleaded not guilty to possessing morphine. (Sydney Morning Herald)

He pleaded not guilty to possessing morphine, which he will fight at a hearing at Bankstown Local Court in October.

Nadir is yet to enter pleas to the former charge, which will proceed with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

Nadir previously apologised through his lawyer, Zemarai Khatiz, for the comments he made in the video.

Outside court, Zhatiz said he would not be negotiating with the Commonwealth DPP and the matter would take “a long time” to resolve.

Both nurses remain on bail and were excused from attending court today.

Both have been barred from practicing as nurses across Australia by the health practitioner’s regulatory authority, with their licenses suspended in NSW.

Their remarks were met with significant backlash, including from the prime minister and the NSW premier, at a time when there was widespread community concern about antisemitic incidents in Sydney and Melbourne.

Subsequent investigations have revealed that many of the most prominent incidents in Sydney were orchestrated by criminal gangs with no apparent ideological motives.

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