By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Mass demonstrations are planned in dozens of Australian cities during Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit, as activists cite Israel’s genocide in Gaza and pursue legal action to block his entry.

Key Developments

• Protests scheduled nationwide during Herzog’s visit to Sydney.
• Police given expanded powers and restrictions imposed on rally routes.
• Civil society groups filed legal complaints and demanded investigation.
• Advocacy networks cite ICJ findings referencing Herzog’s statements.

Pro-Palestinian organizations across Australia have announced coordinated nationwide demonstrations against the upcoming visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

Herzog is expected to arrive in Sydney for a four-day visit.

Organizers say protesters will gather at Town Hall before marching toward Macquarie Street — a route authorities warned falls inside a designated so-called security restriction zone.

The New South Wales government has granted police expanded powers ahead of the visit and urged demonstrators to relocate the rally, while repeating public calls for calm.

Despite the restrictions, activists say the march will proceed. Demonstrations are planned in at least 24 cities across the country, including Canberra, Melbourne and Perth, reflecting what organizers describe as a coordinated national response rather than a single local protest.

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The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network said the Israeli president “should not be welcomed” and must be held accountable, stating that he represents a government carrying out genocide in Gaza and enforcing occupation and apartheid policies against Palestinians.

The group also noted that statements attributed to Herzog were cited by the International Court of Justice in assessing genocidal intent during proceedings related to the war on Gaza.

The protests are accompanied by legal efforts. A coalition of civil society organizations filed a complaint urging authorities to deny Herzog a visa and open a criminal investigation under Australian law.

Prominent legal and human rights advocates have similarly called on federal police to examine incitement concerns ahead of the visit.

Herzog’s trip follows an invitation from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after the December Bondi Beach attack that killed 15 people and injured 42. Government officials framed the visit as a diplomatic gesture, but critics argue it risks legitimizing a leadership accused internationally of overseeing mass slaughter and destruction in Gaza.

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The demonstrations are therefore expected to combine political protest, legal advocacy and public mobilization, reflecting the extent to which the Gaza war and genocide continue to shape domestic politics far beyond the Middle East.

Since October 2023, Israel’s military campaign and genocide in Gaza have resulted in extraordinarily high civilian casualties.

Palestinian health authorities report that nearly 72,000 Palestinians have been killed, while demographic and humanitarian analyses suggest the true toll may be far higher when accounting for those missing under the rubble, unrecorded deaths, and indirect fatalities caused by siege conditions. Entire families have been wiped out in single strikes, and mass graves have been uncovered around hospitals and residential neighborhoods following ground incursions.

The scale of destruction has been equally severe. Large portions of Gaza’s housing stock, hospitals, schools, water networks, and electrical infrastructure have been destroyed or rendered inoperable, leaving most of the population displaced and dependent on aid.

International agencies say the enclave faces long-term collapse of sanitation, health care, and basic services, with reconstruction expected to take many years and tens of billions of dollars even under stable conditions.

(PC, Anadolu, AJA, QNN)