Israeli head flies in to rally rage, community embrace
Israeli President Isaac Herzog will begin his visit to Australia in response to the Bondi massacre, amid nationwide protests and calls for his arrest.
The head of state will begin his official visit to Sydney on Monday at the invitation of the Albanian government, following the terrorist attack targeting the Jewish Hanukkah celebration on 14 December.
Father-son gunmen inspired by the Islamic State killed 15 people and injured more than 40 others.
Mr. Herzog will meet with politicians and Jewish community leaders; Some of them say that the visit of the puppet will bring great comfort.
But other groups oppose him setting foot on Australian soil and are calling for federal police to investigate the Israeli president for alleged war crimes.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, but Mr. Herzog is not and is not afforded customary immunity under international law as a visiting head of state.
The president’s role is largely ceremonial, but he was photographed signing the Israeli artillery shell, sparking outrage.
Mr. Herzog later said the munitions were smokescreens, not explosives, but noted that the signature was a mistake.
The United Nations investigation found that Hamas’s comments after the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel (where it described Palestinians as “an entire nation that is responsible”) could be interpreted as incitement to genocide.
Israel has repeatedly denied genocide allegations, and Mr. Herzog later clarified his remarks, which he said were taken out of context.
Alex Ryvchin, co-chairman of the Executive Council of Australian Jews, said Mr Herzog’s visit would “lift the morale of a suffering community”.
“We hope this will lead to a much-needed recalibration in bilateral relations between two historic allies,” he said.
“President Herzog is a patriot, an honorable and compassionate person, and his duty is above party politics.”
But Judith Treanor of Jews Against Occupation ’48 said the visit showed the world that “genocide is compatible with Jewish identity.”
“There are Jews who support Israel, and there are Jews who do not… Herzog needs to be investigated, he is not welcome here,” he said.
Protest organizers Palestine Action Group flagged an urgent appeal to the NSW Supreme Court on Monday after Premier Chris Minns officially declared the visit a major event.
The declaration gave police extra powers to prevent movements in the city centre.
“Rather than defending human rights, the NSW government is using emergency-style powers to shield a visiting head of state from public scrutiny and accountability,” spokesman Josh Lees said.
A last-minute hearing arguing that the powers are excessive, unfair and unlawful will be held before Judge Robertson Wright on Monday morning – hours before the rally is due to take place.
Police warned protesters they would be arrested if they breached public gathering restrictions put in place following the Bondi attack.
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