“Antisemitism Is a Global Emergency,” Herzog Says at Bondi Memorial

Israeli President Isaac Herzog arrived in Sydney on Monday morning and laid a wreath and two stones from Jerusalem at Bondi Pavilion, marking the start of an official visit following the December 14 terror attack that killed 15 people at a Chanukkah celebration.

Standing at the memorial site alongside his wife, Michal Herzog, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, and local officials, Herzog framed the attack as part of a broader global surge in antisemitism and warned that the threat extended far beyond the Jewish community.

“The current rise in antisemitism around the world is a global emergency,” Herzog said, describing the shooting as the deadliest antisemitic terror attack in Australia’s history.

The president noted that the victims had gathered to celebrate Chanukah when they were targeted, calling the assault an attack not only on Australian Jews but on the core values of Australian democracy. “They attack the values that our democracies treasure: the sanctity of human life, the freedom of religion, tolerance, dignity and respect,” he said.

As part of the memorial ceremony, Herzog and his wife placed two stones brought from Jerusalem. Explaining the gesture, he said the tradition symbolized enduring memory and connection. “In Jewish tradition, we place stones on graves to represent the endurance of memory, the weight of loss and the unbreakable bond between the living and those we have lost,” he told reporters.

Herzog highlighted the range of victims, noting that the youngest was 10-year-old Matilda and the oldest was 87-year-old Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman. He said the attackers deliberately targeted Jews, but stressed that the implications of the attack reached the entire country. “Antisemitism here in Australia is not a Jewish problem. It is an Australian problem and a global problem,” he said.

The president welcomed steps taken by the Australian government to address antisemitism since the Bondi attack but urged sustained action. “Leaders across all sectors of society must speak out clearly and consistently against antisemitism because silence in the face of hatred is complicity,” Herzog said.

Asked whether more could have been done to prevent the attack, Herzog said the frustrations expressed by members of the Jewish community were widely shared. He said warnings had been raised in advance and expressed hope that recent measures would lead to lasting change.

Herzog’s visit has drawn significant opposition, with pro-Palestinian groups organizing protests in Sydney and other cities and calling for his arrest over allegations related to Israel’s conduct in Gaza. New South Wales authorities declared the visit a “major event,” granting police expanded powers, and a legal challenge against the designation was dismissed on Monday.

Responding to the demonstrations, Herzog said many protests crossed from criticism into delegitimization. “What you hear and see comes to undermine and delegitimize our right, my nation’s right, the nation which I am the head of state of, of its mere existence,” he said.

Despite the tensions, Herzog said his visit was intended to convey solidarity and reassurance to Australian Jews. “I want to send a message from brothers and sisters all over the world: you’re not alone,” he said. “The nation and the State of Israel are with you.”

Herzog is expected to travel to Canberra and Melbourne later this week, where he will meet Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Governor-General Sam Mostyn, and other political leaders as part of his four-day visit.