Labor’s invitation to Israeli President Isaac Herzog to visit Australia came amid the anguish following the Bondi Beach attacks on attendees of a Hanukkah event, which left 15 dead.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese argued that inviting Herzog would “build social cohesion”. The Australia/Israel Jewish Affairs Council said it would “send a powerful message of solidarity and support … following the tragic events at Bondi and the surge of antisemitism across the country”.

These claims of approval ignore the serious prospect that legal grounds might arise regarding Herzog’s visit, not to mention the public protests that it will cause.

Australia, being a party both to the UN Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute, which establishes the International Criminal Court, must be wary about the injunctions of membership.

A determined opposition is keen on foiling the visit. On January 30, the Hind Rajab Foundation, the Jewish Council of Australia and the Australian National Imams Council announced they had sent Attorney-General Michelle Rowland, home affairs minister Tony Burke and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) a joint legal complaint to have Herzog arrested or barred from entering Australia.

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be unlikely to visit Australia, given the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant, the complaint asserted that as “the Prime Minister of Israel is not permitted to visit Australia, the President should not be allowed to act as his surrogate”.

The complaint implores the authorities to do any of three things: Refuse or cancel any visa held by........

© Green Left Weekly