Israeli President Isaac Herzog has warned that anti-Semitism is “not a Jewish problem,” describing it as a national and global threat.
Herzog began his Australian visit in Sydney on Feb. 9, returning to the Bondi Beach memorial site where 15 people were killed and more than 40 wounded in the Dec. 14 attack.
He said he had raised the alarm for years about rising anti-Semitism across Western democracies, including “Canada, Great Britain, the United States and Australia,” which he said were “all English speaking countries.”
Asked whether Australia had done enough, Herzog struck a diplomatic tone, praising steps taken since the attack while warning that symbolic gestures were not be enough.
“I welcome the positive steps taken by the Australian government to tackle anti-Semitism since the Bondi attack. Leaders across all sectors of society must speak out clearly and consistently against anti-Semitism because silence in the face of hatred is complicity.”
In the wake of the attack, the Albanese government struggled with its response before moving to pass two bills, including legislation aimed at combating anti-Semitism and hate speech, and another establishing a national gun buyback scheme.
Stones from Jerusalem
Starting his visit from Bondi, Herzog laid two stones at the Beach, brought from Jerusalem, in what he described as a lasting symbol of memory and solidarity.He was accompanied by the Israeli First Lady, NSW Premier Chris Minns, and Waverley Council Mayor Will Nemesh.
“These stones from Jerusalem, the Eternal City, the eternal capital of Israel, will remain here at Bondi for eternity, the sacred memory of the victims and as a reminder that the bonds between good people of all faiths and all nations will continue to hold strong In the face of terror, violence and hatred, and that we shall overcome this evil together,” Herzog said.
Herzog described the Dec. 14 killings as the deadliest terror incident in Australia’s history and said it was designed to strike at the nation’s values.
“This very beach, beloved by the Australian people, and symbolic of all that’s great about this beautiful nation, became the scene of the deadliest terror attack in Australia’s history.
Herzog Addresses Protests
Herzog also responded to demonstrations planned around his visit, saying he had come in goodwill and that Australia and Israel had a long-standing relationship.“Australia and Israel are close friends and allies since the days of old,” he said, noting Australia was the first country to declare and recognise Israel at the United Nations.
“These demonstrations, in most cases, what you hear and see comes to undermine and delegitimise our rights.”
He defended Israel’s actions after Oct. 7, arguing the war was not initiated by Israel.
Public Campaign Against Visit
Protests against Herzog are scheduled in multiple cities, while newspaper advertisements condemning the visit appeared on Feb. 9.The left-wing Jewish Council of Australia launched a national advertising campaign, publishing a public letter opposing the visit signed by more than 1,000 Jewish Australians.
“We refuse to let our collective grief be used to legitimise a leader whose rhetoric has been part of inciting a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and has contributed to the illegal annexation of the West Bank,” the council’s executive officer, Sarah Schwartz, said.
Meanwhile, the Palestine Action Group has launched a NSW Supreme Court challenge after NSW Premier Chris Minns formally declared the visit a major event—restricting movement in parts of the city.
A last-minute court hearing is scheduled before Justice Robertson Wright just hours before a planned rally, with organisers arguing the powers are excessive, unjustified, and unlawful.
Police have warned protesters they will be arrested if they breach public assembly restrictions introduced after the Bondi attack.
