The Australian Government is set to formally welcome the leader of Israel next week, a state that the UN Commission says has committed genocide. According to the country’s own data – released yesterday – Israel has killed at least 70,000 Palestinians since October 2023.
Last year, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog was identified by the UN Commission of Inquiry as one of the Israeli officials who had “incited the commission of genocide”. Israel continues to block aid and kill civilians almost daily despite the 10 October 2025 ceasefire agreement.
Herzog’s role in inciting genocide
In defending Israel’s attacks in October 2023, Herzog stated that “it is an entire nation out there that is responsible” in reference to Palestinians, adding, “It is not true, this rhetoric about civilians who were not aware or not involved. It is absolutely not true“.
His support for Israel’s military actions is clear: in December 2023, Herzog signed an artillery shell that was due to be dropped on Gaza, with the message “I rely on you”.
The UN Commission of Inquiry determined that it was reasonable to interpret Herzog’s comments “as incitement to the Israeli security forces personnel to target the Palestinians in Gaza as a group as being collectively culpable”, and concluded that this incitement, alongside comments from other Israeli officials, had enabled “a persistent disregard for international law” and “actively fuelled the killing”.
Herzog’s actions must be investigated
As a party to the Genocide Convention, Australia has obligations to prevent and punish genocide. Inviting President Herzog to Australia without investigating his involvement in Israel’s commission of genocide risks undermining Australia’s stated commitments to international justice and accountability.
Australia should be holding Israel to account, not extending a formal invitation to its leaders, and risking signalling Australia’s complicity in the Israeli Government’s ongoing breaches of international law.
Take a stand for justice by demanding the Australian Government upholds its obligations and investigate Herzog.