Who The Hell is Herzog?

The President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, is having the red carpet rolled out after accepting an invitation from Anthony Albanese to go on a PR tour of the country. Herzog has presided over the past 2 years of genocide in Gaza, bearing responsibility for the deaths of more than 71,000 Gazans, the forced displacement of more than 2 million people, and a massive escalation in settler violence in the West Bank. 

Throughout the genocide, Herzog has consistently justified Israel’s targeting of civilians. In October 2023, he declared: “It’s an entire nation out there that is responsible [for the October 7 attack on Israel]. It’s not true this rhetoric about civilians not aware, not involved. It’s absolutely not true ... And we will fight until we break their backbone.” This incitement of violence continues to be echoed by the IDF, who were recorded in a video by an Israeli journalist, unashamedly chanting “We know our slogan, there are no uninvolved civilians.” 

This statement made by Herzog was included as evidence in a lawsuit at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide. Additionally, these comments were used again in September last year by the UN commission of inquiry and found Herzog, alongside his Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and former Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, guilty of inciting genocide. 

Isaac Herzog is a war criminal who proudly signs bombs to be dropped on Gaza, and this invitation by the Albanese government is a spit in the face to the millions of Palestinians who have suffered under Herzog’s rule and the 71,000 murdered, with at least a third of those being children. 

Around 58% of Australians think Israel is committing a genocide and demand that sanctions be placed on the terror state. This is unsurprising considering the historic March for Humanity in August last year that saw 300,000 march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. With a majority of Australians recognising and expressing their opposition to the genocide against Palestinians, why would the government invite one of Israel’s chief architects in said slaughter to Australia? 

It is precisely because maintaining Australia’s political relationship with Israel is more important to our rulers than upholding any sense of justice for the millions who suffer under Israel’s terror regime. Albanese is drawing a clear line in the sand and choosing to stand on the wrong side of history. 

We can not let him get away with this. We must stand on the right side of history and oppose Herzog’s arrival!

In response, tens of thousands across the country plan to protest his arrival. Over 30 cities have stated they will be participating in the nationwide rallies on Monday the 9th of February. A rally will be held at Sydney Town Hall at 5:30PM during this nationwide rally.

In Wollongong, this call to action coincides with the Bisalloy picket from Sunday the 8th of February to Tuesday the 10th of February. There will be an opening rally on Sunday night at 8PM to protest Herzog, but also to kick off the picket. The next day, on Monday, a bus will be travelling from the picket around 3PM to take activists to Sydney Town Hall and shuttling them back to the picket afterward. 

I urge all who reject war criminals receiving red carpet treatment from our government, all who are outraged at the ongoing genocide in Gaza, to attend the Bisalloy picket and attend the rally in Sydney on the 9th of February.

Ryan Chapman,

President of UOW Palestine Society - Students for Palestine