We will overcome evil together  — Israeli President Herzog says in tribute to victims of Bondi Beach shooting

Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog, on Monday, February 9, said people of all faiths would stand united to overcome “evil” as he paid tribute to victims of the deadly Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney.
 

Herzog made the remarks while laying a wreath at Bondi Beach in memory of those killed during a Jewish festival attack on December 14, which claimed 15 lives. The ceremony took place under heavy security and gloomy weather as the Israeli leader began a four-day visit aimed at showing solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community.
 

“The bonds between good people of all faiths and all nations will remain strong in the face of terror, violence and hatred,” Herzog said during the event outside the Bondi Pavilion. “We shall overcome this evil together.”
 

The Israeli president said he placed two stones from Jerusalem at the site as a sacred tribute to the victims. He also commended the Australian government for taking what he described as positive steps to combat antisemitism, including the introduction of stricter gun control and hate crime laws following the attack.
 

Herzog noted that the shooting was the deadliest attack on Jews since Hamas’ assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, and expressed concern over the global rise in antisemitism.

Victims of the Bondi Beach attack included an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, a couple who confronted one of the attackers, and a 10-year-old girl, Matilda, remembered by mourners as a “ray of sunshine.”

The alleged gunman, Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police during the incident. His son, Naveed, a 24-year-old Australian citizen, has been charged with terrorism and 15 counts of murder and remains in custody.
 

Herzog’s visit has been welcomed by many within Australia’s Jewish community. Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the president’s presence would help comfort a community still in mourning.
 

However, the visit has also drawn criticism. The Progressive Jewish Council of Australia said Herzog was not welcome, citing allegations linked to Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
 

The United Nations’ Independent International Commission of Inquiry previously stated that Herzog could be liable for prosecution over comments made after the October 7 attack. Israel has strongly rejected the findings, describing them as false and calling for the inquiry’s dissolution.
 

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged the public to respect the purpose of Herzog’s visit, confirming that he would join the Israeli president to meet families of the victims.

Despite heightened security measures and the designation of the visit as a major event by New South Wales authorities, protests took place across Australia. In Sydney, demonstrators called for Herzog to be investigated over alleged war crimes, while similar rallies in Melbourne demanded an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.