Thousands of people gathered in various Australian cities on Monday to protest against the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who is on a multi-city tour at the invitation of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following the deadly December attack on Bondi Beach.
Herzog is visiting Australia this week with the stated purpose of expressing solidarity with the Australian Jewish community following the shooting at a Hanukkah event on December 14, in which 15 people were killed.
However, his visit has sparked anger among some in the public. Pro-Palestinian groups have staged protests in Sydney and other cities, accusing Herzog of being complicit in the deaths of civilians in Gaza.
In Sydney, thousands of protesters gathered in the city centre, chanting pro-Palestinian slogans and listening to speeches critical of the Israeli government. Protester Jackson Elliott, 30, said that while the Bondi massacre was tragic, Australian leaders have not shown the same empathy for Palestinians in Gaza.
Australian authorities have imposed tight security measures. About 3,000 police officers have been deployed in Sydney during Herzog's visit, with ground patrols and helicopters in the air. The visit has been declared a "major event," giving police special powers to disperse crowds, restrict movement and search vehicles.
Herzog began his visit at Bondi Beach, where he laid a wreath at the victims' memorial and met with relatives of those killed. He said the attack was "yet another attack on Australia's democratic values."
Meanwhile, while several Jewish organizations welcomed the visit, the Jewish Council of Australia — critical of the Israeli government — published an open letter signed by over 1,000 academics and Jewish community figures, urging Prime Minister Albanese to withdraw the invitation to Herzog.
