'You're weak': Senator erupts in fiery on-air clash

Two senior politicians fought a fiery war of words on Today this morning, with Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie repeatedly accusing Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth of "weakness" on antisemitism.

The pair were discussing accusations from a coalition of Islamic groups relating to the outrage and anger surrounding a recently released video of two Sydney nurses saying they would kill Israeli patients.

The statement, released online by Stand For Palestine Australia and featuring signatories including The Muslim Vote and the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, alongside dozens more including radical group Hizb Ut Tahrir Australia, accuses the media and politicians of "selective" and "calculated" outrage.

READ MORE: New video shows captured Australian fighter in Russian captivity

The statement emphasises several times that discrimination is unjust and healthcare should be provided "justly" to all and that the nurses in question "breached the codes of conduct for health professionals".

However, it claims their statements were "clearly emotional and hyperbolic" and motivated by their anger over Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza, which has seen more than 48,000 Gazans killed according to local health authorities.

The statement said condemnation of Israel's actions was not the same as a hatred of Jewish people.

READ MORE: Passenger plane with 80 people aboard crashes at Canadian airport

The Coalition has since called for any government funding to be stripped from the signatories, which is where the on-air clash began this morning.

Asked if Labor would strip funding from all the organisations who had signed the statement, Rishworth refused to commit.

She said the statement was "disgusting and appalling" and required investigation.

"It has been condemned, and rightly so," she said.

READ MORE: Fears for Pope's health as 'complex' condition diagnosed

But McKenzie demanded a "yes or no" answer, saying people were "sick of the rhetoric".

"Antisemitism has no place in Australian society, so do something about it," she said.

When Rishworth claimed the government was taking action, but again did not commit to a direct answer on funding, McKenzie lashed out.

"It's weak, you're weak," she said, as Rishworth continued speaking.

"You're weak."

The two nurses depicted in the video, Ahmad Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh, have been banned from working within the Australian healthcare system, while a police investigation into the video is underway.

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.