Herzog’s four-day visit follows the December 2025 Bondi Beach terror attack that killed 15 at a Hanukkah event, including two rabbis, a Holocaust survivor, and 10-year-old Matilda.
Albanese told radio listeners the Jewish community requested ‘their head of state,’ prompting critics to accuse him of implying divided loyalties among Australian Jews.
While Jewish groups like ECAJ welcomed the solidarity gesture amid rising hate, protests erupted in Sydney and Melbourne over Israel’s Gaza actions, highlighting Australia’s deep divides.
