Pro-Palestinian group vows protest against Israeli president’s Australia visit

Despite government restrictions on rallies, a pro-Palestinian group vowed to hold protest rallies against Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Australia, local media reported on Saturday.

President Herzog is scheduled to visit Sydney on Monday as the Palestine Action Group plans to hold a protest at Town Hall on the same day, according to ABC News.

The New South Wales (NSW) government has given extra powers to police ahead of the Israeli president's visit, while Premier Chris Minns has repeated calls for calm.

Organizers of the protest said they plan to walk from Town Hall to Macquarie Street despite the route falling within the restriction zone, while the state government urged them to choose a different location.

Protests are planned in 24 cities across the country, including the capital, Canberra, Sydney, Perth and Melbourne on Feb. 9 against Herzog's visit.

The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN), a national coalition for Palestinian human rights, said that 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 said on the US social media platform X.

Last week, a coalition of civil society groups lodged a legal complaint urging authorities to deny Herzog a visa and to open a criminal investigation under Australian law.

Earlier, prominent Australian justice advocates also demanded that the federal police investigate Herzog for incitement to genocide ahead of his visit.

Herzog is expected to land in Australia on Feb. 8 for a four-day visit.

He was invited by Prime Minister Albanese following the Bondi Beach attack in December, which killed 15 people and injured 42.

A UN Human Rights Council special commission of inquiry into the war in the Gaza Strip found last year that Israel was committing genocide, and said comments made by Herzog following the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023, were evidence of genocidal intent.