Melbourne’s Protest Plans for Israel’s President

A group of students will meet in a busy train station this Thursday. They want to speak out against what they see as violence in Gaza. The event comes on the last day of Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia. Herzog was invited by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after a deadly shooting at a Hanukkah party in Sydney. Some Australians think Herzog is connected to the deaths of civilians in Gaza. They point to a UN report that said Israel committed genocide there. The protest organizers say they are standing for people who have been hurt and those still suffering. Their slogan is simple: “Now is the time to march. ”On a university campus in Melbourne, some students spray‑paint words calling for Herzog’s death. Police have taken the graffiti seriously but are not sure if it ties to the planned protest. During Herzog’s trip, police and protesters fought in Sydney. Twenty‑seven people were arrested after the clash turned violent. Police used tear gas and pepper spray to break up the crowd. In a TV interview, Herzog called Australia’s antisemitism “frightening. ” He added that most Australians want peace and a dialogue with Israel. He denied the accusation that he helped in Gaza’s genocide.