The Australia Visit They Don't Want You to See

President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia has taken place at a time when public opinion around Israel remains sharply divided. In major cities such as Melbourne and Sydney, visible tensions have surfaced through rallies, demonstrations and virulent demands for Herzog’s arrest on the mythical belief that he is an International War Criminal. Herzog’s visit should be accepted by Australians for what it is, an opportunity to comfort the families in the aftermath of the recent Bondi terror attack that targeted a Hanukkah gathering, as well as the reinforcement of positive diplomatic relations with Australia.

Rather, Herzog’s presence has become a focal point for the radical left to call for a globalising of the Intifada and to reinforce the maniacal claim that Israel is a genocidal colonialist regime. Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Jewish Association Robert Gregory, told Sky News Australia that “the Intifada was a period of sustained violence against Jews, including suicide bombings, stabbings and shooting attacks. For Australian Jews, calls to ‘globalise the Intifada’ are understood as a direct threat to our safety and our lives.”

The Australian federal government, themselves harsh critics of Israel, framed Herzog’s trip as an act of solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community, particularly after the events of Bondi. This proved to be shallow, when Labor’s Muslim Parliamentarian Ed Husic vocally condemned Herzog’s visits, as did many others entrenched in anti-Israel activism within Albanese’s Labor Government.

Disappointingly, the visit has prompted widespread organised opposition from the usual suspects. Figures from the Australian Greens and activist networks including the Palestine Action Group Sydney coordinated demonstrations across Sydney this week. Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi described the invitation as “the most divisive thing possible” and argued that Herzog should be arrested and removed from Australia, rather than be formally welcomed. Protest organiser Josh Lees, an Australian man who has devoted his entire existence to criticising Israel and accusing the Jewish State of War Crimes, predictably stated that “Herzog is not welcome here,” and signalled further demonstrations during the visit which are coming to fruition.

Showing just how dire the situation is for Australia’s Jewish Community, these events have unfolded amid a documented rise in antisemitic incidents nationwide across Australia. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry recorded 1,654 antisemitic incidents between October 2024 and September 2025, several times higher than pre-2023 annual averages. Community security groups have also reported more than 1,000 incidents annually, including assaults, vandalism and threats. High-profile examples have included synagogue vandalism, fire bombings of Jewish institutions and the deadly Bondi attack.

The singling out of Israel by an ever growing proportion of Australians sympathetic to the radical left also sits within a broader global human-rights landscape. There has been an eery silence from this angry mob when it comes to the plight of Iran and Sudan for example. In Iran, security forces have killed an unconfirmed number of innocent anti-government protesters and detained thousands, while in Sudan, armed conflict has caused tens of thousands of deaths and mass displacement. While these crises have drawn mild international concern, they have not produced any criticism or public mobilisation in Australian cities by those shouting against Israel at any opportunity.

The focus by the Australian Greens and their radical left supporters on Jewish interests and the actions of the Middle East’s only democratic nation is obsessive and cruel. Taken altogether, these dynamics show how Herzog’s visit has become both a diplomatic engagement and a lightning rod for what is already a frightening place for Australian Jews to go about their daily lives.