Israeli President Isaac Herzog arrived in Sydney on 9 February for a four-day state visit that organizers say is intended to strengthen ties with Australia and engage the country’s Jewish communities. Instead his arrival ignited large-scale demonstrations in Sydney, Melbourne and other cities, as thousands rallied to denounce Israel’s campaign in Gaza and to protest what they call Herzog’s complicity in civilian deaths.
Protesters gathered in central Sydney, filling a commercial square with speeches and chants in support of Palestine. Organisers and participants said the demonstrations were peaceful for much of the day, but clashes with police escalated when crowds tried to push past cordons; mounted police, a police helicopter, and riot officers were deployed, and officers used pepper spray and tear gas to disperse parts of the crowd. Several demonstrators were detained during confrontations.
Herzog’s visit was welcomed by many in Australia’s Jewish community and framed by Canberra as a diplomatic gesture designed in part to “heal” after the Bondi Beach shooting; but it proved fiercely controversial among pro‑Palestinian groups, human‑rights organisations and some Labor politicians. International media outlets reported that protests were expected in as many as 30 Australian cities, underscoring how Israel’s actions in Gaza have become a global flashpoint that reverberates in diasporas and domestic politics.
The head of the Australian Jewish Council described the invitation as profoundly offensive, warning that hosting a leader accused by critics of overseeing atrocities risks conflating Jewish identity with the policies of the Israeli state and could imperil community safety. That observation encapsulates a fraught dilemma for host governments: balancing diplomatic engagement and communal security, while responding to widespread moral condemnation of the Gaza campaign.
The demonstrations in Australia fit a broader pattern seen in other democracies where visits by Israeli officials prompt large protests and sharp public debate. For Australian politicians the episode presents an acute test: how to sustain bilateral relations and reassure Jewish constituents without alienating voters who demand accountability for civilian suffering in Gaza. The security resources committed to the visit and the visible clashes on the streets also highlight the domestic costs of an increasingly internationalised conflict.
Beyond immediate public-order concerns, the protests signal longer-term pressures on Australia’s political landscape. Expect sharper parliamentary debates, potential calls for inquiry or greater scrutiny of arms and intelligence ties, and sustained mobilisation from activist networks that have grown more effective at translating international grievances into domestic pressure. How Canberra manages those tensions will matter for social cohesion, the safety of minority communities, and the tone of Australia’s foreign policy toward the Middle East.