IN THE MEDIA
Israeli President Herzog’s visit a moment of leadership and hope
February 7, 2026 | Colin Rubenstein
The Australian – 7 February 2026
Next week’s historic visit by Israeli President Isaac Herzog to Australia is far more than your regular diplomatic visit. Following the horrific Bondi attack, it comes at a moment of immense significance for Australia’s Jewish community, for our national fabric, and for the future of Australia’s long relationship with the State of Israel.
At its heart, this visit is about solidarity, empathy and shared democratic values at a time when all three are being tested.
Invited by the Governor-General and Prime Minister Albanese, President Herzog is travelling to Australia to stand with a grieving nation and a shaken Jewish community, and to express solidarity in the face of terrorism and escalating antisemitism.
Over the past two years, since the October 7 attacks by Hamas, we have witnessed an alarming and almost unabated explosion in antisemitism across Australia. That trend culminated in the Bondi massacre, whose brutality underscored the deadly consequences of what happens when hatred is left unchecked, despite numerous warnings.
Bondi also reinforced a vital truth, that antisemitism is not a problem for Jews alone. It is an assault on the values of pluralism, tolerance, liberty and equality that underpin Australian society.
For most Jewish Australians, therefore, the timing of President Herzog’s visit matters profoundly, coming at a moment of heightened anxiety about personal safety and social cohesion, as well as a troubling decline in Australia’s 78-year relationship with the Jewish state, which has always provided benefits to both countries. Seeing Australia’s Government invite and welcome Israel’s president sends a clear signal that our institutions and leaders finally understand our concerns and are prepared to show support, healing and leadership to our community.
Regrettably, some have maliciously attempted to portray President Herzog’s visit as divisive. This includes efforts wilfully distorting Herzog’s words after Hamas’ October 7 terror attacks by claiming he called for targeting civilians when, in the speech in question, he specifically said, “There is no excuse to murdering innocent civilians in any way, in any context… Israel will operate and always operates according to the international rules.”
But the “divisive” framing by a mostly fringe minority, fundamentally misunderstands both the visit’s purpose and its character.
President Herzog is not a political figure. He played no role in Israel’s prosecution of its just and necessary defensive war against Hamas, following the October 7 attacks and the brutal captivity of hostages in Gaza. Rather, he is coming as the head of state to honour victims and survivors of Bondi, to meet with families, and to express compassion at a moment of profound loss, when our community is still reeling. That is not provocation. It is leadership and compassion.
Many who say it is “divisive” are the same people who helped contribute to the atmosphere that led to Bondi through their determination not simply to protest the Gaza war, but to target for hatred, abuse and harassment anyone who supports Israel’s right to exist and defend itself- meaning the overwhelming majority of the Jewish community, amongst many others.
Australia has always prided itself on its ability to undertake robust debate within the framework of basic decency. Australians can, and do, hold a wide range of views on Middle Eastern politics, including the war in Gaza. But extending empathy to grieving families and standing together against terrorism should never be controversial.
Indeed, rejecting this visit on political grounds risks eroding a core Australian principle – that in times of tragedy, we come together rather than look for reasons to divide and pull apart.
The visit is also important in a broader strategic sense. Australia and Israel share deep and longstanding ties grounded in common democratic values, respect for the rule of law, and a commitment to individual freedoms. Our relationship spans defence cooperation and intelligence sharing, trade, innovation, science and education. Losing those ties would leave Australia poorer and more vulnerable.
This is another reason Prime Minister Albanese ought to be applauded for initiating the invitation to President Herzog – his visit also represents a critical opportunity to reset and strengthen the Australia-Israel relationship through constructive dialogue and renewed engagement at the highest levels.
President Herzog’s visit should therefore be seen as an act of solidarity; a gesture of compassion; and a reaffirmation of shared values between two democratic nations.
Australia has always been strongest when it resists the pull of polarising division and chooses harmonious consensus centred on core democratic values instead. This is especially so in the wake of the Bondi attack. Welcoming President Herzog in this spirit reflects the best of who we are.
For the families who lost loved ones, for a community seeking reassurance, and for a nation committed to standing against hatred, this visit matters. It deserves to be recognised not as a source of controversy, but as a moment of leadership and hope.
