Leaders urge peace during ‘contentious’ Israeli visit
Liz Hobday and Alex Mitchell |
Protesters are being urged to show calm when they turn out to oppose what a senior minister has conceded is a “contentious” Australian visit by Israel’s president.
Isaac Herzog is due to start his Australian tour on Monday, when he will meet with politicians, Jewish leaders and the families of Bondi massacre victims.
Rallies have been organised in capital cities with police in Sydney vowing to crack down on unauthorised protest action.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese invited Mr Herzog to visit in the wake of December’s anti-Semitic terror attack, during which 15 innocent people were killed.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers accepted the Israeli president’s presence in Australia was controversial but called for calm among furious protesters.
Along with human rights campaigners and the Greens, they have called for his invitation to be rescinded due to his alleged culpability in Israel’s bombardment and the starvation of Palestinians in Gaza.
“This visit is contentious and it will invite a range of views, and some of those views will be strongly held,” Mr Chalmers told ABC’s Insiders on Sunday.
“But this is about grieving with the families and loved ones of the 15 souls that were (lost) on Bondi Beach, so I hope any protests that take place are peaceful and lawful when he’s here in Australia.”
Mr Herzog, who holds a largely ceremonial role as his nation’s head of state, would not address parliament during the visit, the government confirmed.
The visit would help to strengthen bilateral relations between Australia and Israel, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said.
But opposition frontbencher Tim Wilson said the president should address parliament, accusing the government of “hiding” the visit despite Mr Albanese’s plan to accompany Mr Herzog for parts of the trip.
“(He) is coming to Australia to give comfort to the Jewish community in Australia, particularly after horrific Bondi terrorist attacks, the government should be welcoming him, respecting him and supporting him in every way,” he told Sky News.
Mr Herzog has defended the tour from criticism, saying his visit is important to the Australian Jewish community reeling from the attack.
He previously suggested Palestinians bore collective blame for Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 before later clarifying his remarks.
A United Nations Human Rights Council commission of inquiry in September found the statement might reasonably have been interpreted as inciting genocide.
A number of legal experts have argued Australian authorities have an obligation to investigate the alleged war crimes when he arrives in the nation, based on international law.
Josh Lees, from protest organisers Palestine Action Group, said activists “cannot allow Herzog’s propaganda tour for the state of Israel to go ahead”.
The NSW government has approved special event public-safety arrangements to bolster the number of police deployed during Mr Herzog’s visit.
Anyone who fails to comply with police directions will face penalties that include fines of up to $5500.
A protest march from Town Hall through the city has been declared an unauthorised route, but several members of parliament have urged police to allow the rally to proceed.
Rallies are also planned for Melbourne and other major cities.
AAP
