Photo by Rob Hogarth / Instagram @_robhogarth
Calls against Israeli president’s visit escalate for Australia to uphold international law with formal requests for investigation for incitement to genocide and his arrest upon arrival under Australian law.
Protesters filled Hyde Park North in Sydney on Sunday 1 February 2026 in a growing national pushback against the planned visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, as opposition spreads far beyond the streets.
The rally, organised by the Palestine Action Group, drew families, students, unionists and community leaders carrying Palestinian flags and placards declaring the president “not welcome here.”
Speakers condemned the ongoing war in Gaza, criticised new protest restrictions, and accused the federal government of shielding a foreign leader from public scrutiny.
Herzog is expected to spend five days in Australia, visiting Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, following an invitation from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The government has described the visit as appropriate diplomatic engagement, but opponents argue it risks inflaming community tensions and undermining Australia’s human rights commitments.
With rallies planned nationwide on Monday 9 February and legal pressure mounting, what was billed as a routine diplomatic visit has rapidly become one of the most contested foreign policy flashpoints in recent years.
A full-page newspaper advertisement signed by more than 500 prominent Australians had earlier urged the government to cancel the invitation, while Muslim and Jewish organisations having lodged formal complaints seeking a federal investigation into alleged war crimes and incitement to genocide by Herzog.
Voices from the rally
Among the headline speakers was Judith Treanor of Jews Against the Occupation ’48, who identified herself as coming from an Orthodox Jewish background with family members killed in the Holocaust. She challenged what she called the “political media climate” that presents a single Jewish view.
“There isn’t one Jewish community and one Jewish voice,” she said, arguing many Jews oppose Zionism and feel their identity has been “hijacked.” She questioned whether recent security and protest laws genuinely make communities safer or risk deepening division.
Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens, delivered a sharply critical speech accusing the Albanese government of trying to shut down what she called the “anti-genocide, pro-peace movement” through “reckless and divisive laws,” describing the approach as authoritarian and a threat to free speech.
The most emotional address came from Shamik Badra, a Palestinian from Gaza, who shared the loss of multiple family members and described shortages of food, water and medicine. He said solidarity from Australians gave people in Gaza “hope,” adding there should be “no red carpet for incitement, no handshakes over mass graves.”
Organisers Josh Lees and Amal Nasser announced a national day of action on Monday 9 February, with coordinated protests planned in major cities.
Legal and faith bodies seek investigation
Australia’s peak Muslim organisations, including the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC), have urged reconsideration of the invitation while explicitly rejecting anti-Semitism and acknowledging Jewish community trauma after Bondi.
In a separate move, lawyers representing the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) and the Jewish Council of Australia have lodged a criminal complaint seeking an investigation into alleged offences under Australian law, and requesting authorities be prepared to execute an arrest warrant should jurisdiction apply.
Advocates cite statements attributed to Herzog that have been referenced in international legal proceedings and argue Australia has obligations to investigate credible allegations of incitement to genocide or crimes against humanity.
Meanwhile, The Muslim Vote has formally written to the Australian Federal Police calling for Herzog to be investigated — and arrested if warranted — under Australia’s domestic laws implementing the Genocide Convention.
Newspaper ad signed by 500 prominent Australians
Beyond the streets, opposition has spilled into mainstream public life.
A full-page advertisement in The Sydney Morning Herald, placed by Australians for Humanity, called for the immediate withdrawal of Herzog’s invitation. It carried the signatures of more than 500 prominent Australians — including former senior public servants, diplomats, journalists, academics, faith leaders and human rights advocates.
Signatories included John Menadue, Margaret Reynolds, Mary Kostakidis and Richard Broinowski. They described the invitation as “immoral and wrong,” arguing that welcoming a head of state accused of mass civilian harm and alleged war crimes is indefensible.
The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) has also condemned the visit, with president Nasser Mashni saying it “whitewashes Israeli atrocities” while Israel faces genocide allegations before the International Court of Justice.
Growing debate
Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have also raised concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Critics say proposed protest restrictions during the visit risk suppressing dissent and eroding democratic freedoms.
While Sunday’s rally remained largely peaceful, organisers say demonstrations will continue throughout the visit.
From full-page newspaper ads to faith leaders, senators, Jewish and Muslim groups, and thousands on the streets, the message from a broad cross-section of Australians is clear: the president’s visit has become a lightning rod — not only for foreign policy debate, but for questions about accountability, free speech and the limits of protest in a democracy.
On Monday evening, Ben Cubby of SMH reported that Herzog fans were ‘holed up’ at the Convention Centre, ‘afraid’ of the protests. By sheer coincidence, at the same time, police corralled the pro-Palestinian rally, ploughed into them with extreme violence and attacked brothers performing the Isha prayer. I hope that, at least, the fans of genocide felt safe.