‘War criminal not welcome’: Australians rally against Israeli president

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by By News AgenciesFebruary 9, 2026 at 02:34 PM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Pro-Palestine protests occurred in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia on February 9, 2026, during a four-day state visit by Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Thousands of demonstrators protested against the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory, with some calling Herzog a "war criminal." In Sydney, police used pepper spray and arrested at least 15 protesters, including a woman who allegedly burned flags and damaged a tram stop. Protests continued despite organizers losing a court challenge against police restrictions. Herzog characterized the protests as attempts to delegitimize Israel, while Amnesty International criticized Australia for welcoming him. Prime Minister Albanese called for respectful behavior during Herzog's visit, where he also met with victims of the Bondi Beach attack.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

New South Wales Parliament 30% UN 30% AFP 40% Amnesty International 40% Anthony Albanese 50% Palestine Action Group 50% Palestinians ×260% Melbourne ×260% Sydney ×370% Israel ×270% Australia ×370% Isaac Herzog ×790%

Keywords

pro-palestine protests 90% israeli president 80% isaac herzog 70% australia 70% pepper spray 60% israeli occupation 60% palestinian territory 50% police powers 50% amnesty international 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

Al Jazeera

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Australia

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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pro-palestine protests israeli president isaac herzog australia pepper spray israeli occupation palestinian territory police powers amnesty international

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