Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s upcoming official visit to Australia has generated both diplomatic anticipation and significant controversy, with pro-Palestinian groups organizing nationwide protests against the high-profile trip. The presidential office confirmed on Wednesday that Herzog will embark on a five-day diplomatic mission beginning February 8, 2026, featuring high-level meetings with Australian political leadership and Jewish community representatives.
The visit, extended by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following the Bondi Beach terrorist attack that claimed fifteen lives, will include solemn meetings with victims’ families and survivors of the December 14 tragedy. Herzog’s itinerary encompasses discussions with Governor-General Sam Mostyn, Prime Minister Albanese, and cross-party political leaders, alongside engagements with Australian Jewish communities to express international solidarity.
Accompanying the President will be a delegation comprising World Zionist Organization chairman Yaakov Hagoel and Jewish Agency for Israel chairman Major-General Doron Almog, underscoring the visit’s significance for Israeli-Australian relations.
However, the diplomatic mission faces substantial opposition from pro-Palestinian organizations alleging Herzog’s involvement in inciting genocide in Gaza, where casualties have exceeded 70,000 since Hamas’s October 2023 offensive. These allegations reference a United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner investigation that identified both Herzog and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as having potentially incited genocidal actions—claims Herzog has denied as taken out of context.
The Sydney-based Palestine Action Group has announced coordination meetings to plan a “massive national day of protest,” demanding Herzog’s arrest upon arrival for alleged war crimes. Concurrently, the left-wing Jewish Council of Australia has urged rescinding the invitation, accusing the government of exploiting Jewish trauma for political purposes.
Despite the controversy, Australian Jewish organizations including the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and Zionist Federation of Australia have welcomed the visit, anticipating it will provide meaningful comfort to attack victims’ families while strengthening bilateral ties between the nations.