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The planned visit comes amid strained relations between Jerusalem and Canberra.
By United with Israel Staff
Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to visit Australia following last week’s deadly terror attack on the Jewish community at Bondi Beach, a move widely seen as a powerful gesture of solidarity at a moment of deep trauma for Australian Jews.
The invitation was extended by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and reinforced by Jewish community leaders, including the Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA).
According to Israel’s President’s Office, Albanese informed Herzog that, in accordance with diplomatic protocol, Australia’s governor-general will issue a formal invitation for a visit in the near future. Herzog said he plans to accept.
Herzog also confirmed receiving a separate invitation from the ZFA, urging him to come to Australia in the wake of the attack, which targeted a Chanukah event at Bondi Beach and left the Jewish community shaken.
During a phone call between the two leaders, Albanese expressed shock and sorrow over the attack and conveyed condolences to the victims’ families. “We are deeply pained by the victims of this horrific act and extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” he said.
Herzog responded by expressing deep anguish over what he described as a catastrophic act of terror against the Jewish community. He offered condolences to the families of those murdered and wished a swift recovery to the wounded.
The Israeli president also stressed the urgent need for firm legal and governmental action to confront what he warned is a dramatic surge in antisemitism, extremism, and jihadist terror.
Australian Jewish leaders strongly welcomed the invitation. ZFA President Jeremy Leibler said the request for Herzog’s visit reflected the emotional toll the attack has taken far beyond the immediate victims.
“This was not only an attack on individuals,” Leibler said. “It struck at the deepest sense of safety Jewish Australians have carried for generations.” He said the decision to proceed with a formal state invitation sends an important message of recognition and solidarity.
The planned visit comes amid strained relations between Jerusalem and Canberra following the attack.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply criticized the Albanese government, accusing it of failing to adequately confront rising antisemitism in Australia.
Netanyahu said he had warned earlier this year that policy decisions, including Australia’s recognition of a Palestinian state, risked fueling hostility toward Jews.
“Your government did nothing to stop the spread of antisemitism in Australia,” Netanyahu said following the attack. “You let the disease spread, and the result is the horrific attacks on Jews we saw today.”
Jewish leaders in Australia have echoed concerns that years of insufficient action created an environment in which antisemitic violence could flourish.
Against that backdrop, Herzog’s visit is being viewed not only as a show of solidarity with a grieving community, but also as a critical moment for Australia to confront how antisemitism is being addressed in the aftermath of one of the most severe attacks on Jews in the country’s history.
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