1 day ago
2
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing internal calls to withdraw his invitation for Israeli President Isaac Herzog to visit Australia following the Bondi massacre, highlighting the potential for social unrest when the Israeli head of state arrives within weeks.
Albanese formally invited Herzog to visit Australia in December, a move that was welcomed by major Jewish groups who said it would provide comfort to a community mourning the deaths of 16 members.
Planning is underway for Herzog’s visit, with early February being discussed as a likely date. The government has not announced whether Herzog will be invited to address parliament during his visit.
Herzog’s visit, which is likely to include trips to Sydney and Canberra, would almost certainly attract protests from pro-Palestinian groups angry at Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza and will require a heavy security presence.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to visit Australia early this year.Credit: Getty
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon announced on Tuesday he was extending restrictions on protests in Sydney for another 14 days, citing ongoing safety concerns following the alleged Bondi terror attack.
Labor Friends of Palestine, a group of Labor members that supports the creation of a Palestinian state, on Wednesday wrote to Albanese urging him to rescind the invitation for Herzog to visit Australia.
“Should Herzog enter Australia, the Australian Federal Police should urgently investigate him for alleged incitement of genocide, and complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity,” the group wrote in the letter.
“As Israel’s head of state throughout the Gaza genocide, Herzog has actively supported and enabled a long list of the gravest violations of international law.
“Herzog works hand-in-hand with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu who is subject to International Criminal Court arrest warrants for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including deliberate starvation of civilians.”
The group notes that Herzog was pictured signing his name onto a bomb due to be dropped on Gaza in December 2023.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) cited comments by Herzog when it found there “plausibility” to South Africa’s claims that Palestinians in Gaza require protection from genocide.
Loading
Herzog’s comment that there is “an entire nation out there that is responsible” for the October 7 attacks has been widely cited as justifying civilian deaths in Gaza, but he has insisted his words have been taken out of context.
Herzog accused the ICJ of ignoring other comments in which he said “there is no excuse” for killing innocent civilians and that Israel would respect international laws of war.
A United Nations commission of inquiry last September found that Herzog and other Israeli officials were “liable to prosecution for incitement to genocide” for comments made after the October 7 attacks.
Mike Kelly, the co-convenor of Labor Friends of Israel, said calls for Herzog to be investigated over alleged war crimes and uninvited from Australia were “ridiculous”.
“He’s a Labor man, he’s been trying to get the balance right in dealing with the Netanyahu coalition. He has had no administrative role in the war,” Kelly, a former Labor frontbencher, said.
“This is part of the relentless demonisation and deligitimisation of Israel.”
Herzog’s largely ceremonial position as president is roughly analogous to Australia’s governor-general, meaning he does not have power over government decisions.
Herzog previously led the left-wing Israeli Labor Party and was a leading political opponent of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Zionist Federation of Australia President Jeremy Leibler commended Albanese for inviting Herzog to Australia, saying: “The visit will bring immense comfort to the Australian Jewish community and allow President Herzog to convey condolences to all Australians for the worst terror attack in Australian history.
Loading
“Prime Minister Albanese’s invitation reflects that, while there are clear differences on policy, you can still celebrate the shared values and long history between Australia and Israel.”
A group of progressive Jewish organisations, including the Jewish Council of Australia, this week urged Albanese to rescind Herzog’s invitation, saying the visit “risks provoking mass protests, which would be attended by significant numbers of Jewish people, and exacerbating antisemitism by implicitly associating Jewish people with alleged war crimes”.
The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network last month criticised Albanese’s invitation to Herzog , saying it “represents a grave moral failure and a direct insult to the hundreds of thousands of Australians who have spent more than two years protesting Israel’s ongoing genocide of Palestinians and demanding accountability under international law”.
Colin Rubenstein, executive director of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, said it was “sickening” that parts of the Labor Party were trying to sabotage Herzog’s visit.
“It is telling that, as the country continues to consider and finalise its response to the worst terrorist attacks in its history, and the worst antisemitic attack on Jews since October 7, extremists within the ALP are pushing to undo an initiative of the Prime Minister to help restore our battered relations with Israel,” he said.
“The Australian Jewish community is, now more than ever, looking forward to the visit of Herzog – who, throughout his career has been a tireless advocate for Israeli–Palestinian peace and good relations – as is every Australian who genuinely eager for a peaceful future between Israelis and Palestinians.”
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils called for Albanese to reconsider the invitation to Herzog in a statement issued on Christmas Eve, labelling it “deeply painful” for Palestinian Australians.
“For Australian Muslims more broadly, it reinforces a growing perception that Palestinian lives, suffering, and rights are treated as secondary, negotiable, or invisible within Western political systems,” the peak body said.
Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.
Most Viewed in Politics
Loading
