Herzog’s Australia visit tests unity amid Gaza-war tensions
Israeli President Isaac Herzog is heading to Australia for a state visit that will be greeted with a government-backed show of solidarity for grieving Jews after the Bondi Beach Hanukkah attack, even as mass protests condemn him as a war criminal in the Gaza war. Prime Minister Albanese frames the trip as a unity gesture, but critics warn it could deepen social divides, with security and diplomatic-immunity considerations surrounding Herzog and his delegation amid ongoing international debates and local antisemitism concerns.