Israeli President Herzog’s visit to Australia met with protests
While Isaac Herzog comforts a community reeling from the Bondi massacre, his arrival has sparked protests and a massive security operation
Thousands gathered across Australia on Monday to protest the arrival of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who is on a multi-city trip aimed at expressing solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community following a deadly mass shooting last year.
Herzog is visiting Australia this week following an invitation from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the aftermath of the December 14 shooting at a Hanukkah event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach that killed 15.
The visit has attracted the ire of some people in Australia, who accuse Herzog of being complicit in civilian deaths in Gaza. Pro-Palestine groups have organised protests in cities and towns across the country on Monday evening.
The UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry found last year that Herzog was liable for prosecution for inciting genocide after he said all Palestinians – “an entire nation” – were responsible for the Hamas attack on Israel.
Israel has “categorically” rejected the inquiry’s report, describing it as “distorted and false” and calling for the body’s abolition.
In Sydney, thousands gathered in a square in the city’s central business district, listening to speeches and shouting pro-Palestine slogans.