Australian Ad opposing Herzog visit sparks backlash over false, unauthorized names and inclusion of kapos

The list also contains the names of three historical kapos from Nazi concentration camps.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

A paid newspaper advertisement opposing President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia has drawn backlash after several individuals said their names were listed without consent.

In addition, the list did not include as many names as claimed, and of those included, some were clearly fake and others were names of kapos.

The ad, funded by the Jewish Council of Australia and published as full pages in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, was titled “Jews say no! Over 1,000 Jews have said no to Herzog.”

It claimed to feature more than 1,000 Jewish signatories to an open letter stating the Israeli president was not welcome in the country.

However, the published list appears to contain fewer than 700 names. Some entries have since been identified as people who say they never signed the letter, while others appear to be fictitious or offensive insertions, the Jerusalem Post reports.

David Slade, managing director of Slade Pharmacies and president of United Israel Appeal Victoria, publicly objected after seeing his name included. “Let me be absolutely clear: I did not sign, endorse, or authorize my name to be included in this publication,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

Slade described the inclusion of his name as a “gross ethical failure” by those who submitted it, by the group behind the advertisement, and by the newspapers that printed it. He questioned why unauthorized or fabricated names would be needed if the ad reflected genuine support.

“To remove any doubt about where I stand: I am a proud Australian, a Zionist, and I stand in full solidarity with the Australian Jewish community and with Israel, including President Herzog’s visit to Australia,” he wrote, adding that he was currently in Israel and regretted missing the visit.

Another individual, Jason Gluck, also said his name had been falsely used.

The list includes the name of a well-known Australian Zionist, Tammie Slade, who is also believed not to have consented.

One entry was found to be a transliterated Hebrew slur rather than a real name.

The list also contains the names of three historical kapos from Nazi concentration camps.

The petition behind the ad allowed both Jewish and non-Jewish participants to sign. A 2023 Monash University survey found that 90% of Australian Jews consider ties with Israel important, with 88% reporting strong personal connectedness.