Israeli President Isaac Herzog has laid a wreath and stones at Bondi Pavilion as a tribute to the December 14 terror attack victims as part of his four-day Australian visit.
The two stones from Jerusalem were placed on the memorial as part of a Jewish tradition, where people place rocks rather than flowers to represent the endurance of memory and the weight of loss.
“These stones from Jerusalem, the Eternal City, the Eternal Capital of Israel, will remain here at Bondi for eternity, a sacred memory of the victims and as a reminder that between good of all faiths and all nations will continue to hold strong in the face of terror, violence and hatred, and that we shall overcome this evil together,” Mr Herzog said.
He was joined by NSW Premier Chris Minns and Waverley Council Mayor Will Nemesh at the heavily policed ceremony, after arriving in Sydney on Monday morning.
After paying his respects, Mr Herzog urged people to call out antisemitism when they see it.
“Antisemitism here in Australia is not a Jewish problem. It is a Australian problem and a global problem,” he said.
“Over the generations, one thing has become clear: hatred that starts with the Jews never ends with the Jews.
“Leaders across all sectors of society must speak out clearly and consistently against antisemitism because silence in the face of hatred is complicity.”
He then questioned whether more could have been done to prevent the antisemitic attack which killed 15 people.
“I have alerted way in advance, as well as many others, and that is why I understand this frustration, and I hope the steps that were recently taken will bring change,” he said.
“This has to be a consistent, ongoing effort to change reality.”
Mr Herzog was invited by the governor-general and prime minister to join the Jewish community grieving the loss of life in the December 14 massacre of mostly Jewish Australians at a Hanukkah event.
In a statement, Mr Herzog said he would visit Jewish communities across Australia to “express solidarity and offer strength to the community in the aftermath of the attack”.
Mr Herzog will attend major communal events with the leaders of the Australian Jewish community and meet with senior politicians.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said the president’s visit “will lift the spirits of a pained community”.
“He is a person who has sadly had to comfort families, police and first responders after terrorist attacks many times, and will know how to reassure and fortify our community in its darkest time,”
he said.
Mr Ryvchin said he was hopeful the visit would strengthen relations between Israel and Australia.
At the same time, more than 1,000 Jewish Australians signed an open letter saying Mr Herzog was “not welcome here” with nationwide protests against the four-day visit and his role in the war in Gaza planned.
A UN Commission of Inquiry concluded Mr Herzog was among Israeli leaders who incited the commission of genocide.
The allegation of genocide is rejected by Israel and Mr Herzog maintains his comments that the UN said “may reasonably be interpreted as incitement” have been taken out of context.
Police deployed for protests against visit
Protesters are due to gather at Sydney’s Town Hall this evening but police have been pushing for an alternative route.
More than 3,000 NSW Police officers will be deployed throughout his visit, including 500 for a planned demonstration tonight.
The group made an eleventth-hour Supreme Court challenge to the government’s decision to designate it a “major event”, granting police special powers ahead of today’s protest against the visit.
The declaration provides police expanded powers to manage crowd safety, maintain separation between opposing groups and reduce the risk of confrontation.
Under the Major Events Act those who fail to comply with police directions could face fines of up to $5,500.
The Palestine Action Group (PAG) lodged submissions late on Sunday afternoon, arguing the declaration was “draconian” and imposed rules unsuitable for protest activity.
The matter will return to court today.
