Thousands protest as president of Israel visits Australia

The president of Israel, Isaac Herzog, spoke with survivors of the Bondi beach terror attack and the victims' families yesterday as he began a four-day visit to Australia.

- Penry Buckley

Herzog, accompanied by the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, laid a wreath at the site of the antisemitic attack, saying: "When one Jew is hurt, all Jews feel their pain."

His trip has prompted protests, with thousands turning out in Sydney and Melbourne to voice their opposition to his visit.

Along with his wife, Michal Herzog, the president also placed two stones from Jerusalem at a memorial outside the Bondi pavilion. He said placing stones on graves in the Jewish tradition represented "the endurance of memory, the weight of loss and the unbreakable bond between the living and those we have lost".

Herzog told reporters: "These stones ... will remain here at Bondi for eternity in sacred memory of the victims and as a reminder that the bonds between good people of all faiths and all nations will continue to hold strong in the face of terror, violence and hatred."

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry welcomed Herzog's visit as a moment of profound significance. The council's co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said it would mean "a great deal" to survivors and families.