Herzog Visits Australia Amid Calls for His Arrest for Inciting "Genocide in Gaza"

SadaNews - Israeli President Isaac Herzog began a visit to Australia, starting with a tour of the memorial for the victims of the Bondi attack, which claimed the lives of 15 people celebrating the Jewish festival of lights (Hanukkah) at the famous beach in Sydney.

Herzog started his visit today, Monday, at Bondi Beach, where he laid a wreath at the memorial for the victims of the attack and met with survivors and the families of the 15 deceased.

In a speech delivered at the attack site, he stated, "This was also an attack on all Australians. They targeted the values upheld by our democracies, the sanctity of human life, freedom of religion, tolerance, dignity, and respect."

The visit, which came in response to an invitation from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, faced opposition from within the Jewish community itself.

The Australian Jewish Council, one of the strongest critics of the Israeli government, issued an open letter signed by over a thousand academics and prominent community figures from Australian Jewry, urging Albanese to rescind Herzog's invitation.

Herzog's visit faced opposition from pro-Palestinian groups, with plans for protests organized in major cities across Australia.

The "Palestinian Action Group" called for a national day of protest demanding Herzog's arrest and investigation, noting in a statement that a United Nations investigative committee concluded he "incited genocide in Gaza."

The group also filed a lawsuit in Sydney courts against restrictions on the expected protests.

Authorities in Sydney described Herzog's visit as an important event, deploying about 3,000 police officers to control crowds, granting police rarely used powers, including the ability to disperse, move crowds, restrict access to certain areas, direct people to leave, and search vehicles.

Police urged protesters to gather in a park in central Sydney for public safety reasons, but protest organizers said they intended to gather at the historic Town Hall.