Thousands of Australians took to the streets on Monday to protest the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who is on a multi-city tour expressing solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community following last year’s deadly Bondi Beach Hanukkah shooting.
Pro-Palestine groups organised demonstrations in cities and towns across the country. In Sydney, crowds gathered in the central business district, shouting slogans and listening to speeches. Protestors accused Herzog of complicity in civilian deaths in Gaza.
Jackson Elliott, a 30-year-old protestor, said: “The Bondi massacre was terrible but from our Australian leadership there’s been no acknowledgment of the Palestinian people and the Gazans. Herzog has dodged all the questions about the occupation and says this visit is about Australia and Israeli relations but he is complicit.”
A heavy police presence, including helicopters and mounted officers, patrolled protest sites. Pepper spray and tear gas were used to disperse groups attempting to breach security lines, resulting in several arrests.
Authorities invoked rarely used powers to manage the visit, including the ability to move crowds, restrict access to areas, and search vehicles. Legal challenges by the Palestine Action Group to contest these restrictions were unsuccessful in Sydney court on Monday.
Herzog Commemorates Bondi Victims
Meanwhile, thousands of Jewish community members, government officials, and opposition politicians attended a memorial event over a kilometre away from the protests at Sydney’s International Convention Centre. Herzog laid a wreath at the Bondi Beach memorial and met with survivors and families of the 15 victims killed in the attack.
He remarked: “This was also an attack on all Australians. They attacked the values that our democracies treasure, the sanctity of human life, the freedom of religion, tolerance, dignity and respect.”
Alex Ryvchin, Co-Chief Executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said Herzog’s visit “will lift the spirits of a pained community.”
In contrast, the Jewish Council of Australia released an open letter signed by over 1,000 Jewish academics and community leaders urging Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to rescind Herzog’s invitation, criticising the Israeli government’s policies in Gaza.
A Divided Reception
Herzog’s visit highlights the tension in Australia over Israel-Palestine issues. While some citizens and community leaders welcomed the solidarity with the Jewish community, others protested, citing the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The visit underscores the delicate balance for Australia’s leadership in engaging with international partners while addressing domestic concerns over human rights and foreign policy.
(with inputs from Reuters)
