JEWISH GROUPS CONDEMN HERZOG VISIT, ENDORSE PROTEST RALLIES 

Six Jewish groups have issued a media release in which they unequivocally condemn Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia on 9–12 February, and endorse national rallies to protest it.

The six groups are Loud Jew Collective, Jewish voices of Inner Sydney, Jewish Advocates for Understanding Antisemitism, Jews Against the Occupation ’48 , Jews for Palestine (WA), Jews for a Free Palestine (Naarm/Melbourne).

Here’s the statement they have issued.

The groups have previously written to the Prime Minister and the Governor General, urging them to rescind Herzog’s invitation. They say it is inappropriate for Herzog to be invited to Australia following the Bondi terrorist attack, because of Herzog and his Government’s involvement in perpetrating genocide against Palestinians. 

President Isaac Herzog of Israel. Source President.gov.il

Comments made by Herzog have been found by the International Court of Justice and UN bodies to have incited genocide and normalised collective punishment. Herzog will be accompanied by Major General Doran Almog, a former head of the Israeli army’s Southern Command who is the subject of well‑documented allegations of war crimes in Gaza between 2000 and 2003. Hosting Herzog violates Australia’s obligations under the International Genocide Convention. This visit does nothing to support the healing of Jewish communities in Australia, following the massacre in Bondi. Instead, it risks exacerbating antisemitism by implicitly associating Jewish Australians with Israeli war crimes. 

In light of these concerns the Jewish groups strongly endorse national rallies being organised across the country to coincide with Herzog’s arrival on Monday 9 February. 

Vivien Encel, a representative of Jews4Palestine WA, said:

“As Jewish Australians with no loyalty to the State of Israel, we have been supported by the Australian community, including Palestinian Australians, in our grief for the deaths at Bondi, and we neither need nor want “support” from this warmongering President of a pariah state. Instead, we continue to demand that the Australian government comply with our obligations under international law to end Israel’s genocidal war on the Palestinian people by cutting diplomatic, military and economic ties with Israel.”

Cat Nadel, a representative of Loud Jew Collective, in condemning the Australian Government’s welcome as “offensive and inappropriate“, added that –

“Jewish grief should not be weaponised to whitewash Israel’s genocide. We commit to standing shoulder to shoulder with Palestinians, and all sectors of society, against this repugnant anti-Palestinian racism.” 

Jesse McNicoll, a representative of Jewish Voices of Inner Sydney, said:

“The President of Israel’s visit is divisive and will increase antisemitism in Australia. Herzog is implicated in an international genocide case. Many Jewish Australians do not welcome Herzog here. We apologise to our Palestinian brothers and sisters for the pain that Herzog’s visit will cause them.”

Sarah Kushinsky from Jews for a Free Palestine (Naarm/Melbourne) said:

“It is unfathomable that the Labor party would invite a war criminal, complicit in causing the most extreme suffering to Palestinian civilians, on a state visit. We stand with Palestinian Australians and allies as they rally against this divisive and dangerous visit. As right-wing terrorists throw a bomb into crowds of First Nations peoples, and shout “heil” in the streets, we urge the government to bring integrity to their seemingly empty words about ‘social cohesion’, by cancelling Hertzog’s visa immediately.”

By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News

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