Israeli President Isaac Herzog Meets Bondi Terror Attack Survivors

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has met with the survivors of the Bondi terror attack this morning, shortly after his scheduled arrival in Sydney.

Accompanied by NSW premier Chris Minns and Waverley mayor Will Nemesh, Herzog laid a wreath at the memorial for the attack, as well as two stones from Jerusalem to “represent the endurance of memory, the weight of loss, and the unbreakable bond between the living and those we have lost.”

“In the aftermath of the attack, the people of Australia stood together in grief and solidarity with the Jewish community, the world’s only Jewish state, the state of Israel, and the nation of Israel stood together with the Australian people,” he said.

“We stood with Australian Jews for we are one big family, and when one Jew is hurt, all Jews feel their pain.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese invited Herzog to visit in the wake of the December 14 terror attack in an effort to foster a greater sense of unity.

A finding by a UN commission, which doesn’t speak on behalf of the UN, ruled that Herzog, along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, “have incited the commission of genocide”.

The president is expected to travel to Canberra and Melbourne, where he will meet Albanese, Governor-General Sam Mostyn, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, premiers, and members of the Jewish community, including families of victims and survivors of the Bondi attack.

A 25-year-old pro-Palestinian protester who called out “shame” as Herzog left Bondi Pavilion was briefly arrested by police, before being issued a move on direction under the Major Events Act.

Protests expected across the country in hours

This afternoon, the Supreme Court will rule whether the “major event” designation would remain in place ahead of a protest planned for Sydney this evening, one of many across the nation demonstrating against the president’s visit.

The designation, typically used to manage mass crowds at sporting events, gives police additional powers to close off specific areas, and to order people to move on.

Organisers, Palestine Action Group, plan to march from Town Hall to state parliament, a route the breaches the seperate, recently extended public assembly restrictions.

Mark Robinson, SC, the barrister representing the group, has argued the government acted outside is legal abilities in making the major event declaration.

Legislation for the designation explicitly restricts the government from declaring “an industrial or political demonstration or protest to be a major event”, with the court under pressure to decide whether Herzog’s visit is covered by this law.

Premier Minns has been critical of the backlash Herzog’s arrival has caused, and warned against conflict in the streets.

“I know that there’s disagreement about this visit, but I think it’s hugely important for the long-term unity of the city and the country, if there is disagreement, it’s done in a calm and respectful way,” he said.

When asked if he had a message for demonstrators, Herzog said it was important that we all fight together.

“These demonstrations, in most cases, what you hear and see, comes to undermine and delegitimise our right, my nation’s right, the nation which I am the head of state of, of its mere existence,” he said.

“We did not seek that war, October 7 … and people were butchered, murdered, raped and burnt and abducted.

“Terror is what undermines all the availability of peace and the notion of peace in our region.”