Pro-Palestine groups to protest Israeli president’s visit to Australia

Isaac Herzog to commemorate Bondi Beach mass shooting victims, but activists say he should not escape scrutiny over Gaza.Published On 8 Feb 2026Pro-Palestinian groups are planning several rallies across Australia to oppose a visit by Israeli President Isaac Herzog despite the government’s restrictions on rallies.Herzog is scheduled to visit Sydney on Monday to honour the victims of December’s Bondi Beach attack, which killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration in Australia’s worst mass shooting in decades.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Starvation by design: How Israel turned food into a weapon of war in Gazalist 2 of 4Israel’s Gaza genocide risks global order, leaders warn at Al Jazeera Forumlist 3 of 4Families ‘inconsolable’ in Gaza as Israel returns more unidentified bodieslist 4 of 4Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ to convene in Washington, discuss Gaza: Reportend of listIn response to the attack, the state of New South Wales, where Sydney is located, passed legislation allowing police to restrict public protests for up to three months. Authorities have invoked these powers in parts of central Sydney during Herzog’s visit.But the Palestine Action Group plans to hold a protest at Sydney’s Town Hall on Monday, according to the ABC News broadcaster.Organisers of the protest said they plan to walk from Town Hall to Macquarie Street despite the route falling within the restriction zone as the state government urged them to choose a different location.Similar protests are planned Monday in other Australian cities, including Perth, Melbourne and the capital, Canberra.The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN), a national coalition for Palestinian human rights, said the Israeli president should not be welcomed and he must be held “accountable”.“Isaac Herzog is not a ceremonial guest. He is the head of state of a government carrying out genocide in Gaza, enforcing occupation, and maintaining apartheid over Palestinians. His rhetoric was cited by the International Court of Justice in assessing the risk of genocide,” APAN posted on X.