Australian PM invites Israeli President Herzog after Bondi Attack

Herzog stressed the need for decisive action to confront what he described as an unprecedented rise in antisemitism, extremism, and jihadist terror.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has been invited to visit Australia in the wake of last week’s deadly terror attack on the Jewish community at Bondi Beach, with invitations extended by both Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA).

According to statements from the President’s Office, Albanese informed Herzog that, following the Australian government’s recommendation and in line with official protocol, the Governor-General of Australia will issue a formal invitation for a visit as soon as possible.

Herzog indicated that he intends to accept the invitation, noting that he had also received a separate official request from the president of the ZFA encouraging him to come to Australia.

During a phone call between the two leaders, Albanese expressed shock and deep sorrow over the terror attack targeting the Jewish community and conveyed condolences to the families of the victims.

“We are deeply pained by the victims of this horrific act and extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” Albanese said.

Herzog, for his part, voiced profound horror at the attack on the Chanukah event in Bondi Beach, describing it as a catastrophic act of terror. He expressed condolences to the families of those murdered and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded.

Herzog also stressed the need for decisive legal and governmental action to confront what he described as an unprecedented rise in antisemitism, extremism, and jihadist terror.

The invitation was also strongly backed by Australia’s Jewish leadership. ZFA President Jeremy Leibler said he reached out to Herzog shortly after the attack, emphasizing the broader impact on the Jewish community.

“In the days after Bondi, our community reached out directly to President Herzog because this was not only an attack on individuals, it struck at the deepest sense of safety Jewish Australians have carried for generations,” Leibler said.

He welcomed the Australian government’s decision to proceed with a formal state invitation.

The proposed visit comes amid heightened tensions between Jerusalem and Canberra following the attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply criticized Albanese’s government, accusing it of failing to confront rising antisemitism in Australia.

Netanyahu said he had warned Albanese earlier this year, following Australia’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state, that such moves would fuel hostility toward Jews.

“Your government did nothing to stop the spread of antisemitism in Australia,” Netanyahu said on the day of the attack. “You did nothing to curb the cancer cells that were growing inside your country. 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 a lack of decisive action helped create an environment in which violence against Jews became increasingly likely.

Herzog’s anticipated visit is now seen as both a gesture of solidarity and a moment of reckoning over how antisemitism is being addressed in Australia following one of the most severe attacks on the Jewish community in the country’s history.