Antisemitism in Australia is "frightening" but most people want good relations, Israel's President Isaac Herzog said on Thursday as he wrapped up a four-day visit and was met by protests in the city of Melbourne.
Herzog's tightly policed visit to Australia this week was meant to offer consolation to the country's Jewish community following the mass shooting on Sydney's Bondi Beach that killed 15 people in December.
However, it sparked demonstrations in major cities, including in Sydney, where police used pepper spray on protesters and members of the media, including an AFP photographer, during scuffles in the central business district on Monday night.
Herzog told Channel Seven's Sunrise ahead of his Melbourne stop that a "wave" of anti-Jewish hatred in Australia had culminated in the December 14 killings at Bondi.
"It is frightening and worrying," he said. "But there's also a silent majority of Australians who seek peace, who respect the Jewish community and, of course, want a dialogue with Israel."
The Israeli head of state said he had brought a "message of goodwill to the people of Australia".
"I hope there will be a change. I hope things will relax," he said.
Herzog attended a Jewish community event after a meeting with Victoria's governor at Melbourne's Government House.
Protesters waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans squared off with police outside the event.
Herzog told the audience at the community event: "We came here to be with you, to look you in the eye, to embrace and remember."
He also said demonstrators outside should instead "go protest in front of the Iranian embassy".
The Australian government accused Iran last year of orchestrating a recent wave of antisemitic attacks and expelled Tehran's ambassador.
Canberra, citing intelligence findings, accused Tehran of directing the torching of a kosher cafe in the Sydney suburb of Bondi in October 2024 and a major arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne in December 2024.
Ahead of his arrival, national broadcaster ABC reported that a building at Melbourne University had been graffiti-ed with the phrase: "Death to Herzog".
Many Jewish Australians have welcomed Herzog's trip.
"His visit will lift the spirits of a pained community," said Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the community's peak body.
But some in the community disagreed, with the progressive Jewish Council of Australia saying he was not welcome because of his alleged role in the "ongoing destruction of Gaza".
The U.N.'s Independent International Commission of Inquiry found last year that Herzog was liable for prosecution for inciting genocide after he said all Palestinians -- "an entire nation" -- were responsible for the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023.
Israel has "categorically" rejected the inquiry's report, describing it as "distorted and false" and has called for the body's abolition.
© 2026 AFP
46 Comments
WoodyLee
BUT the killing of more than 70,000 civilians including women and children is much more HORRIFYING and DISGUSTNG.
nickybutt
Could he not do this in Palestine?
Mr Kipling
Do not confuse antisemitism with criticism of Israel and its policies.
falseflagsteve
The facists and danger to our first world nations is not from Israel. The far left and radical islamists have aligned with a common purpose to destroy our societies from within.
OssanAmerica
I believe that Israel has a right to exist, in peace with it's neighbors. And it has a right to defend itself. However the actions taken under the Netanyahu regime have gone so far that it has increased "anti-semitism" throughout the world. A great amount of the world's sympathy that Israel had because of WWII has been squandered.
HopeSpringsEternal
Too most, truly 'frightening', is trying to live in Gaza, any wonder why?!
BeHuman
Israel's current government remain the biggest threat to global peace. Despite ceasefire in Gaza they continue to bomb and kill with impunity. Herzog has no moral high ground to talk about peace. Very surprised that the Aus government allowed him into the country.
falseflagsteve
BeHuman
Don’t see Israelis going round blowing up planes and committing terror attacks worldwide.
The fixation on Gaza is a distraction from the biggest danger to world peace.
Hiro S Nobumasa
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is laughing at the ICC.
Despite the genocide in Gaza he is still free!
The ICC instead kidnapped a hero to more than 96% of the people of the Philippines who declared a war on drugs to protect the children of his country.
There is no antisemitism in Australia .
In fact the Australia people are only voicing their opposition to the genocide in Gaza.
What happened in Gaza is like the Holocaust reborn.
Peter14
There is a hell of a lot of anger and disgust with Israel and its actions in Gaza, as there would be for any nation responsible for that amount of destruction and carnage. It has zero to do with the fact they are Jewish and everything to do with their actions.
That is NOT antisemitism, it is anti Israel, anti-murder, anti-destruction of an entire city of 2.2 million people.
Israel committed many war crimes, people dont like it. Israel is stunned people dont like them and falls back on the ever popular "antisemitism" label to defend their horrific behavior.
The average Australia is not buying into that narrative. And all I can say is President Herzog is showing disrespect for Australians and his "anti-Australia" stance is disgusting.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Israel's leadership is frightening, but what can you do?
buchailldana
Australians say " Israeli genocide policies are frightening"
ThePunisher
The rest of thr world sees Israel blowing up hospitals, schools, refugee camps and apartments, killing 70,000 children, women and men in the process.
Netanyahu, Herzog and the IDF commanders will have their day.
WoodyLee
Anti Zionism is NOT antisemitism.
"" Semitic people are an ethno-linguistic group tracing their origins to the Middle East and parts of the Horn of Africa, defined by their historical use of Semitic languages such as Hebrew, Arabic, Amharic, and Aramaic. Key historical and modern groups include Arabs, Jews, Akkadians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Canaanites, Phoenicians, Arameans, and Ethiopians. ""
Israel is killing Semitic people then it accuses the the rest of being Antisemitic.
WoodyLee
Zionism is Antisemitic, the killing Palestinians is Antisemitic.
Geeter Mckluskie
ian
I'm sure he's not frightened in the least.
falseflagsteve
ThePunisher
There was a reason for the destruction, despite it being very heavy handed. This wouldn’t have happened without Oct 7 with an attack by the government the people voted in.
Usual deflection regarding the real dangers. Why all the check for flying these days? Why barriers at Christmas events in Europe? It’s not the Israelis or Jews.
Mike Hunt
Thinking you welcome while your country does what it does and influences who it influences is frightening!
GuruMick
go home mate and dont slam the door as you leave.
Israel is a violent fascist, apartheid state and Australians can see this.
\The years of "poor Israel " are over.
Dont come back you hypocrite
ian
So you approve of Israel commiting genocide in Gaza?
GuruMick
Israel...your "free pass " has expired
People see what you are and its not pretty.
GuruMick
Guess we will see an exodus of Jews from Australia ....now that situation is so bad.
Hardly...Jewish Australians are in the top 10% of income earners and top 5% of property value owners.
So hard to be Jewish in Australia when this cohort is at the top of the income pyramid.
Geeter Mckluskie
Oct. 7
J101
You don't see Israelis going round blowing up schools, kindergartens, hospitals, houses, fields, ports, airports, power plants, universities, bridges, water lines, pharmacies, etc?
Why should they do it worldwide, when they can commit terror attacks next door?
ian
You mean before oct 7 israel have not been systematically killing the Palestinians and not frightening to live in Gaza?
J101
Because you can be murdered by the IDF round the clock without any reason.
GuruMick
Israeli commandos pretty keen on foreign assassinations and bombing from aircraft.
They place bombs in hotel rooms where negotiators are to meet.
Hell...people are blind to zionist terror,
Sanjinosebleed
That will be up to him and his war criminals buddies in Israel! Stop slaughtering women and children to steal their land!
Geeter Mckluskie
Before Oct.7 there were 70,000 more Palestinians alive then there are today. They would still be alive today if it were not for the attack planned for and celebrated on that day.
ian
You said oct 7 was the reason it's frightening to live in Gaza.
So Israel have not been systematically killing the Palestinians before oct 7?
Geeter Mckluskie
What do you mean by "systematically"? Strapping a bomb onto your child and sending them to a cafe or on a crowded bus to be a martyr?
ian
You're trying to justify the continuing genocide of Palestinians by Israel by one date, pretending that years and decades of killing and persecution of Palestinians by Israel before that date have not been happening
J101
A bomb? Not very efficient. You load your gifted bombs into your gifted airplanes and drop them on everything not leveled yet. And then you ask the media flabbergasted, why everybody hates you.
Geeter Mckluskie
I'm asking whether or not Israel had ever carried out a single, sudden, cross-border attack deliberately targeting large numbers of Palestinian civilians in a manner comparable to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack?
What is this "systematic" killing you are prattling on about? Are you referring to a military response to violent uprisings such as the Intifadas? Because, you're not talking about unprovoked attacks on Palestinians that are proportionate to those Palestinians have committed in Israel.
And no, I'm not trying to justify what Israel's response to Oct.7 has been. I think it has been criminally excessive. But let's not pretend that this current conflict didn't begin on Oct.7 and that 70,000 people could still be alive if it weren't for what the Palestinians did and celebrated on that day.
NCIS Reruns
General Monash is rolling in his grave...
kohakuebisu
If a guest comes and insults your country and its fine people, do not invite them back.
I sincerely hope this man is not invited to Japan.
Geeter Mckluskie
Prior to Oct.7...not after
NCIS Reruns
And while we're on the subject of anti-semitism, it might help to go into the origin of this expression. It was created by an Austrian in 1860, and was intended to be applied only to Jews, and not to Arabs or other semitic groups.
To quote Wiki: Psychologist Avner Falk ... writes: "The German word "antisemitisch" was first used in 1860 by the Austrian Jewish scholar Moritz Steinschneider (1816–1907) in the phrase "antisemitische Vorurteile" (antisemitic prejudices).
Geeter Mckluskie
It's a cowardly term for those too gutless to just say "I hate Jews"
falseflagsteve
Ian
I have criticised Israeli government countless times but it doesn’t change the facts. Gazans should ping there gingers at their own, Hamas in particular.
Hamas even killed one of their leader as he was found to be gay. They rule with an iron fist and cannot be negotiated. For Gaza to enter the 21st century Hamas must be eliminated. Peace keepers need to enter and the region come under temporary control. The citizens must be re-educated regarding their brainwashed beliefs and become decent people.
falseflagsteve
Geeter
I mentioned earlier today the biggest danger to Western society is the far left and refusal Islam, such as enforced in Gaza. The comments here from those people back up my claims 100%
Geeter Mckluskie
I don't know anything about that. I do know that 70,000 Palestinians would still be alive today if it weren't for the r8pe and slaughter committed by Palestinians on Oct.7
AustPaul
So where is the outrage for what is happening in Iran? There have been thousands of deaths in a much shorter time period.
BertieWooster
This is not antisemitism, it's antiNetanyahuism!
John-San
This blokes got his morals straight out of Tel Aviv gutter.