MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) 鈥� The stated purpose of Israel President visit to Australia is to support the Jewish community still reeling from an at Sydney鈥檚 Bondi Beach that left 15 dead. But his critics warn his presence undermines rather than repairs social cohesion frayed by the far away war in Gaza.
Protest rallies are expected to follow the president, who performs a largely ceremonial role as head of state, as he travels to Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra over four days starting Monday. Some critics demand he be arrested in Australia on suspicion of inciting genocide in Gaza.
He is the first Israeli head of state to visit Australia since in 2020. Herzog鈥檚 father, , also visited Australia as Israel鈥檚 president in 1986.
Here鈥檚 what to know:
The Australian visit comes at a time of extraordinary bilateral tensions
Within hours of two gunmen allegedly inspired by the Islamic State group launching their attack in Sydney on Dec. 14 last year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu his Australian counterpart , posting on social media 鈥測our call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on the antisemitic fire.鈥�
had been outraged by Australia鈥檚 decision four months earlier to join France, Britain and Canada in .
Netanyahu has repeatedly sought to link widespread calls for a Palestinian state, and criticism of Israel鈥檚 military offensive in Gaza, to worldwide.
Albanese has accused Netanyahu of being 鈥渋n denial鈥� over the humanitarian consequences of war in Gaza. Netanyahu has branded the Australian a 鈥渨eak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia鈥檚 Jews.鈥�
Australian Jews have appealed to both leaders to restore 鈥渄iplomatic norms鈥� to a bilateral relationship that had been friendly for decades.
Albanese has made clear his government鈥檚 invitation to Herzog to make that state visit was the idea of Jewish leaders.
鈥淧resident Herzog is coming particularly to engage with members of the Jewish community who are grieving the loss of 15 innocent lives,鈥� Albanese said.
鈥淧eople should recognize the solemn nature of the engagement that President Herzog will have with the community of Bondi in particular, and bear that in mind by the way that they respond over coming weeks,鈥� he added.
Jewish leaders welcome Herzog’s visit
Sydney-based Jewish leader Alex Ryvchin, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said his community 鈥渨armly anticipates鈥� Herzog鈥檚 arrival.
鈥淗is visit will lift the spirits of a pained community and we hope will lead to a much-needed recalibration of bilateral relations between two historic allies,鈥� Ryvchin said.
鈥淧resident Herzog is a patriot and a person of dignity and compassion and holds an office that is above party politics. He is a person who has sadly had to comfort families, police and first responders after terrorist attacks many times, and will know how to reassure and fortify our community in its darkest time,鈥� he added.
Ryvchin is one of the Australian Jewish leaders who have accused Albanese鈥檚 center-left Labor Party government of not doing enough to curb an increase in antisemitism in Sydney and Melbourne, where 85% of Australia鈥檚 Jewish population live, since the began in 2023.
Herzog sees opportunity to reset relations
Herzog, a former head of Israel鈥檚 centrist Labor Party, now holds a job meant to serve as a unifier and moral compass for all Israelis. A onetime rival of Netanyahu, he has good working relations with the prime minister.
Ahead of his visit, Herzog told The Associated Press that the 鈥減rimary reason鈥� for the trip was to stand with Australia鈥檚 Jewish community as the representative of all Israelis.
鈥淔rom thousands of miles away in Israel, we feel the deep pain of our Jewish Australian sisters and brothers. I am coming to show them our love and support at this devastating time,鈥� he said.
But Herzog also said the visit is an opportunity 鈥渢o reinvigorate relations鈥� between Israel and Australia.
鈥淭here is a long history of partnership between our two nations and deeply held shared values,鈥� he said, adding that the visit 鈥渙ffers a chance to reignite the longstanding bipartisan support for ties between Israel and Australia.鈥�
鈥淚 hope to be able to communicate this message of goodwill and friendship to the Australian people, and dispel many of the lies and misinformation spread about Israel over the last two years,鈥� he said.
Israel鈥檚 critics have called for Herzog鈥檚 invitation to be withdrawn
鈥淭his is one of the most divisive figures in the world. Bringing him to Australia will undermine social cohesion, it will not rebuild it. It will increase division, it will not bring about national unity,鈥� Australian human rights lawyer Chris Sidoti said. Sidoti described the invitation as a 鈥漜razy idea.鈥�
Sidoti was one of three experts appointed by the U.N.鈥檚 Human Rights Council to an inquiry that in September last year that Herzog, Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister had incited the commission of genocide in Gaza.
The findings carry no legal consequence and Israel has rejected genocide allegations against the country as antisemitic 鈥渂lood libel.鈥� Sidoti and other lawyers say Australian police could potentially arrest Herzog on suspicion of inciting genocide, which is a crime under Australian law as well as international law. Australian Federal Police have declined to comment.
A lawmaker in Albanese鈥檚 government, said he was 鈥渧ery uncomfortable鈥� with Herzog鈥檚 visit. Husic, a Muslim and vocal critic of Israel鈥檚 conduct in Gaza, said he was 鈥渃oncerned that a figure like that doesn鈥檛 necessarily enhance social cohesion.鈥�
Some state government lawmakers from Albanese鈥檚 Labor Party have said they will join a protest in downtown Sydney on Monday planned by the Palestine Action Group activist organization.
“We need to send a clear message to our government and to the world 鈥� we are fundamentally opposed to this tour, which is designed to normalize genocide,鈥� protest organizer Josh Lees said.
Police prepare to use enhanced powers of arrest to control protesters in Sydney
In response to the , the New South Wales state parliament rushed through legislation increasing police powers to arrest protesters in the aftermath of a declared terrorist attack.
New South Wales Premier said a heightened police response in Sydney during Herzog’s visit was necessary to ensure safety.
鈥淲e will have thousands of mourners and thousands of protesters as well as a visiting head of state all in the same city at the same time. And we’ve got a responsibility to keep people safe in those circumstances,鈥� Minns said.
鈥淓very international city anywhere in the world would apply exactly the same geographical restrictions so that the two groups don’t meet and as a result there’s not a major confrontation,鈥� Minns added.
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Associated Press writer Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed.
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