By Rohan Gunaratna
Introduction
What the visiting Israeli President Isaac Herzog told the protesters is invaluable advice to the Australian government. In Melbourne, Herzog said on Feb 12, 2026 that antisemitism in Australia is “frightening” but that most people want good relations with the Jewish community. He was speaking on the final day of a visit that was met with multiple protests, and as graffiti calling for his death was scrawled at Melbourne university.
Graffiti by protesters calling for Herzog’s death on a building at Melbourne University read “Death to Herzog + Israel + Oz,” and included an inverted triangle, which has become a pro-Hamas symbol following its use to mark targets in the terror group’s propaganda videos.
A liberal democracy, Australia permitted freedom of expression and demonstration but it was turned into a freedom to hate and radicalize. The wave of anti-Jewish hatred in Australia culminated in the massacre of Australian Jews on December 14, 2025. After a father and son cell radicalised on Australian soil killed 15 and injured 39 in Bondi beach, Canberra is grappling to build community resilience. Over decades of uncontrolled migration and infiltration of hate preachers, Australia is developing new legislation and capabilities to curb community radicalization and enhance its social cohesion.
The Context
During his four-day visit to Australia at the invitation of the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the PM met Herzog in the Parliament House courtyard on February 11, 2026. It was the same place where Albanese expelled the Iranian ambassador in 2025. Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi was expelled in August 2025 after it was revealed Iran had instigated the firebombing of the Melbourne synagogue on December 6, 2024 and arson attack at Lewis Continental Kitchen in Bondi on October 20, 2024. Albanese said,
“I stood in this very courtyard and announced the expulsion of the Iranian ambassador due to the direct evidence that we had of the involvement in the Revolutionary Guard in atrocities that had occurred in our nation, Australia.”
Albanese said, “[It was] the first time we have expelled an ambassador since the Second World War. We needed to take that action because the Iranian regime have also now, of course, been in recent times oppressing their own people.”
In Melbourne on February 12, 2026, the Israeli President gave a clear message to the protesters. Without stating explicitly that the protesters were radicalised by antisemitism, Herzog said,
“The Iranian regime is spending billions of dollars spreading hate all over the world and killing its own citizens and not caring about their goodwill.”
“I ask all these protesters in Australia, where are you when about 50,000 Iranians have been mowed (down) and killed brutally by their own regime and is doing it still right now?”
Herzog had been scheduled to visit the Adass Israel Synagogue that was firebombed, but the visit was cancelled due to safety fears.
Amidst protests in Sydney and Melbourne, Herzog’s visit to Australia was meant to offer consolation to the country’s Jewish community following the mass shooting targeting a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach. Herzog met with the survivors and families of the Bondi shooting.
Although the graffiti “Death to Herzog + Israel + Oz” was promptly removed, the symbolism demonstrated how much terrorist propaganda is today influencing the protesters. Unless government and Muslim community leaders take decisive action to disrupt the terrorist propaganda influencing the Australian communities, there is the likelihood of another deadly terrorist attack. Those who radicalised the two extremists to conduct a brutal attack in Bondi Beach are still active.
Background
The Australian government has been very welcoming to the migrants. The government did not interfere in the affairs of the migrant and diaspora communities. For a very long time, Australia believed that community leaders will police their own communities from terrorist and extremist infiltrators. Australian politicians tolerated the extremist preachers that influenced their migrant and diaspora communities.
After the Bondi beach massacre, Australia should put a full stop to the ongoing radicalisation and Australians should say no to protests that call for violence. The protests openly called for gassing of the Jews or expelling the Jews.
The pro-Palestinian movements should certainly be offered a place for them to protest, but these protests must be very tightly controlled. The pro-Palestinian protests are infiltrated by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and various terrorist groups. They are screaming constantly to kill the Jews.
As long as protests are used to radicalise the protesters, they should be banned and their leaders should be investigated. Both the terrorist attackers that participated in the Bondi beach participated in the protests. These protests openly call to kill Jews.
The anti-semitism will grow unless and until the migrant and diaspora communities in Australia are properly integrated to the host community. They need to embrace the values of the mainstream Australian community. The Government of Australia will need to develop effective programs in social cohesion to bridge the gap between the host Australian community and the migrant and diaspora communities. Migrant and diaspora communities should integrate well to the host communities so that both these communities can live in peace and harmony. If there is no such integration, there will be more attacks like the Bondi beach attack in Australia.
Foreigners who come to Australia and settle down shouldn’t bring their politics to Australia especially from the Middle East. If they want to do that, then they should return back to their homelands.
The Threat
Today, extremist and terrorist groups as well as hostile states like Iran disseminate fake news to radicalise the nationals in target countries. In the case of Australia, radical preachers constantly and continuously manipulate information to turn Australian citizens against their own government and the mainstream community.
Following the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog to Australia, the Sydney-based radical preacher and mouthpiece for the now-shuttered Al Madinah Dawah Center (AMDC) bemoaned the cost to the government and likened Australian police in their actions against protestors to the Israeli Defence Force. He remarked specifically:
“The draconian laws enacted, the misuse of millions in taxpayer funds, and the heavy-handed treatment of peaceful protesters reflect the same legal framework and enforcement practices employed against Palestinians by the Israeli government, under the leadership of Isaac Herzog, who has been accused of inciting genocide.”
Wissam Haddad alias Abu Ousayd first posted a graphic on February 9, 2026, complaining that the $10-$30 million the Australian government spent on Herzog’s visit could have been put to better use for the people, funding, for example, medical staff and mental health care for thousands.
He followed on February 10 with an English press release from AMDC’s (now just Al-Madina Dawah) “Office of Media and Public Relations” about police brutality, charging that it exposed “the reality of democracy.”
A transcription by SITE Intelligence Group follows:
Media Statement: Police Brutality
Tuesday, 10 Feb. 2026
“Allah says in the Qur’an: “You may hate a thing while it is good for you.” (Qur’an 2:216)”
“Al Madina Dawah Centre praises and thanks Allah for once again exposing the reality of democracy.”
“The police brutality witnessed, enabled by compromised politicians, serves as a reminder for the believers who have long warned about the false claims of justice, fairness, freedom of religion, and accountability within democratic systems.”
“The draconian laws enacted, the misuse of millions in taxpayer funds, and the heavy-handed treatment of peaceful protesters reflect the same legal framework and enforcement practices employed against Palestinians by the Israeli government, under the leadership of Isaac Herzog, who has been accused of inciting genocide.”
“This incident has also exposed those from within our own community who have consistently promoted participation in democracy and democratic elections as a solution to Muslim concerns.”
“It is ironic that the loudest voices calling for the ‘Muslim vote’ were ultimately used as instruments by Allah to reveal the ugliness, injustice, and hypocrisy of democracy and so-called “social cohesion”.”
“At this point, those labelled as “radicals” within the Muslim community can rest, as the government itself has now delivered their long-stated concerns openly and without disguise.”
“Office of Media and Public Relations.”
The Australian authorities were restrained in their response to the protesters even when they turned unruly. Australia should raise a dedicated capability to counter the misinformation and disinformation.
Conclusion
Most Australians welcomed the Israeli president, but there’s a small group radicalised largely by Hamas propaganda that is now circulating quite widely. They are the vanguard protesting against the Israeli president’s visit. What is important to understand is that Herzog visited Australia after a massacre of Jews and to meet with the Jewish community that is suffering as a result of that brutal attack. Australian authorities especially the law enforcement handled the visit well and intelligence services ensured that there was no disruption to the visit of the Israeli leader.
Australia and Israel have enjoyed a very long-term friendship with each other. The visit of the Israeli president is timely because Australia did not act based on multiple Israeli warnings of a buildup of threat, meaning an anti-Jewish and an anti-Israeli threat on Australian soil before the Bondi attack happened. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his disappointment that Australia did not act on that advice. Prime Minister Albanese was far sighted in inviting Herzog to visit Australia after the massacre of Jews on Australian soil. The time is right for both these countries to mend their relationship because they have been allies and friends for a very long time. The government of Israel and Australia relations has been restored and strengthened after the Herzog visit.
The Australian government has now an even bigger challenge. That is to formulate the laws to take action against hate preachers and centres that promote exclusivism and extremism that leads to violence and terrorism. Unless Australia acts now there will be more terrorism, violence, extremism and exclusivism in Australia. In the case of the Muslim community, the leaders should take greater responsibility and ensure that there is no radicalisation. Unfortunately, in the case of Australia, the mainstream Muslim leadership needs to be strengthened to counter the clerics and preachers radicalising the ordinary people. Most Muslims in Australia are very well integrated. They do not want violence. They want to live peacefully. They should be a part of Australia’s fight to build a safe and a secure Australia.
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Rohan Gunaratna is a professor of Security Studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at the Nanyang Technological University. He teaches national security and intelligence and homeland security and counter terrorism. He is a trainer of law enforcement, national security and military counter terrorism units; and is the author and editor of over 30 books, including the Handbook of Terrorism in the Middle East.
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