Israeli President Isaac Herzog is visiting Melbourne today, Thursday, as part of the final leg of his four-day official state visit to Australia, with Victoria Police implementing heightened security measures ahead of planned protests.
The Melbourne visit follows days of intense political and public scrutiny surrounding the Israeli President’s presence in Australia, triggered by large-scale demonstrations and clashes with police in Sydney and Canberra earlier in the week.
Victoria Police confirmed that special powers have been authorised as a precautionary measure, allowing officers to provide what they described as the highest level of security for the visit. Police stressed there is no current intelligence suggesting a specific threat to the event.
Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill said significant planning had been undertaken, with specialist police resources deployed to manage a planned anti-Israel protest expected to coincide with Mr Herzog’s visit.
“Our number one aim is to ensure the safety of all involved,” Deputy Commissioner Hill said, adding that Monday’s Melbourne protest had been largely peaceful and authorities expected Thursday’s demonstration to be similar.
Mr Herzog’s Melbourne appearance comes after emotionally charged engagements in Canberra, where he met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Governor-General Sam Mostyn, and paid tribute to Australia’s Jewish community following the Bondi Beach anti-Semitic terror attack in December, in which 15 people were killed.
Speaking earlier in the visit, Mr Herzog described his time in Australia as “very emotional”, saying the visit was intended to console the Jewish community and strengthen ties between the two nations.
“It is also an opportunity to bring the relations between our nations on a new beginning and a better future,” he said.
Relations between Australia and Israel have been strained in recent months, particularly following Australia’s recognition of a Palestinian state and ongoing criticism of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Israel strongly rejects accusations of genocide made by protesters and international activists.
The visit has been accompanied by repeated demonstrations across major cities. In Canberra on Wednesday, Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi led protesters in chanting “arrest Herzog”, while similar protests in Sydney earlier this week resulted in clashes with police and dozens of arrests.
Prime Minister Albanese has acknowledged the tensions surrounding the visit, urging Australians to lower the temperature while reaffirming the right to peaceful protest. He has also raised with President Herzog the death of Melbourne-born aid worker Zomi Frankcom, who was killed in Gaza in April 2024 while delivering humanitarian assistance.
President Herzog is expected to conclude his Australian visit in Melbourne later today, as authorities remain on alert and protests continue to shape the political backdrop to the visit.
