Australia insists on receiving Herzog despite demands for his arrest

SadaNews - The Australian government on Thursday rejected calls to arrest Israeli President Isaac Herzog during his visit to the country, which begins on Monday and will last for four days.

Herzog is visiting Australia, starting with a meeting with the Jewish community, following the December 14 attack that targeted a Jewish Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, resulting in the deaths of 15 people.

An investigation conducted by an independent UN commission in 2025 concluded that Herzog "incited genocide" by stating that all Palestinians, as a "whole nation," were responsible for Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Israel has "firmly" rejected the investigation, describing it as "distorted and fabricated."

Chris Sidoti, a human rights lawyer and member of the independent international commission investigating human rights violations in Israel and the Palestinian territories, stated, "He should be arrested if he attends."

Sidoti publicly called for the invitation for Herzog's visit to be withdrawn, or for him to be arrested immediately upon arrival.

He told AFP that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a "grave mistake" by inviting Herzog, adding, "It was a wrong decision and should be revoked before it is too late."

In response to a question about calls to arrest Herzog, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that the government invited him at the request of the Jewish community, rejecting any arrest.

She added, "President Herzog was invited to Australia to honor the victims of Bondi and provide support to the Australian Jewish community following the worst anti-Semitic terrorist attack we have witnessed on Australian soil."

Pro-Palestinian activists have called for protests across the country against Herzog's visit, including in Sydney, where police have refused to allow demonstrations under the new powers granted to them following the Bondi attack.

On Thursday, Australian police announced that they charged a 19-year-old man from Sydney with making a death threat online, after he was accused of issuing a death threat against a foreign head of state.

The police declined to confirm local media reports stating that Herzog was the target.