According to pro-Palestinian entities in Australia, the biggest anti-Israel rally ever will be held on the island continent during President Isaac Herzog’s February 8 to 12 visit in response to an invitation by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Governor-General Sam Mostyn. For Herzog’s wife, Michal, the visit will be the closing of a circle. As a young bride, 40 years ago, she was a member of the entourage of then-president Chaim Herzog, who in 1986, was the first Israeli president to set foot in Australia, though he had previously visited in another capacity in 1967, immediately after the Six Day War.
President Isaac Herzog has also been to Australia in another capacity, when he was chairman of the Jewish Agency. As president, he was invited by the Zionist leadership and by Mount Scopus Memorial College in Melbourne, founded the same year that Israel declared independence.
Although Herzog accepted these invitations in principle, he did not end up making the journey. He is doing so now in response to an unprecedented wave of antisemitism, with the aim of boosting the resilience of Australian Jewry and strengthening ties with Australia in the wake of the Bondi Beach terrorist attack and during a Hanukkah celebration.
There were also anti-Israel demonstrations in Australia during Herzog’s father’s visit, but in those days there were considerably fewer Palestinian and Muslim communities than there are today. Moreover, Australia was much more positively disposed toward Israel at that time, with a government led by Bob Hawke, a former Trade Union leader, who had become enamored with Israel after meeting Golda Meir several years earlier. Following Chaim Herzog’s visit, Hawke visited Israel officially in 1987.
Australia’s relationship with the Land of Israel goes back to World War I, when Australian and New Zealand troops defeated Turkish forces in the 1917 Battle of Beersheba.
Australia was also the first United Nations member state to vote for the partition of Palestine, in the November 1947 vote by the UN General Assembly, and in 1949, it formally established diplomatic relations with Israel.
In 1975, Australia opposed the UNGA resolution, which equated Zionism with racism, and until the present administration, there has been fairly solid bipartisan support for Israel. This receded even before October 2023, when violent antisemitism and anti-Zionism caused great harm and anxiety to Jews living in what had previously become known as “The Lucky Country.”
Herzog’s visit during such a tense period is widely regarded as controversial, and security will be at a maximum. Although the government is now making a serious effort to combat antisemitism, there are still frequent outbreaks.
Celebrating India’s Republic Day
ON MONDAY, India’s Ambassador to Israel J.P. Singh, hosted a reception at the Dan Tel Aviv Hotel in celebration of India’s Republic Day, which coincidentally falls on the same date as Australia Day, January 26. Both countries were long under British rule before achieving independence, though India did so much later than Australia.
National pride is always reflected at formal Indian events, with the men dressed in Nehru suits and the women in saris or other traditional Indian garb.
This Republic Day celebration featured an exhibition of the diversity of Indian culture with manikins draped in glorious saris and an impressive display of handcrafts gold, silver, brass, wood, stone, glass, and pottery, as well as colorful masks. Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar, who represented the government at the event, was personally escorted through the exhibition by Ambassador Singh.
There were also Indian dances and music performed by Indians and Israelis. Needless to say, the cuisine for the evening was mainly Indian. During the official part of the evening, both Singh and Zohar were applauded when they noted that the remains of Ran Gvili had been found. He was the first hostage taken into Gaza and the last to be released.
Singh read out excerpts from the Republic Day address by Indian President Smt. Droupadi Murmu, echoing much of what she said in his own words, highlighting the growing India–Israel strategic partnership and people-to-people ties.
Seventy-six years ago, the Constitution of India was adopted with the resolve to constitute India into a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic, said Singh. It was not an easy journey. With its vast ethnic, religious, political, linguistic, and economic diversity, India has gone through over seven decades of adversities and achievements.
The ability to progress, he explained, was based on India’s belief in its two timeless philosophies of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (“The world is one family”) and Vishwabandhu (“India as a friend to the world”).
Guided by the eternal principles of its constitution and under the leadership of visionary Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India is marching toward self-reliance as a developed country by 2047.
Singh was proud to report that India’s growth has surpassed expectations despite global uncertainties. Referencing details from the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook Report, Singh said India has emerged as the world’s fourth-largest economy, with a GDP of US $18 trillion, and it has so far signed free trade agreements with 17 countries.
On the day after Republic Day, India signed yet another Free Trade Agreement with the European Union that officials on both sides described as one of the most significant economic deals of the decade, bringing together two markets representing nearly two billion people and close to a quarter of the global economic output.
Recently, India and Israel signed the Terms of Reference for a Free Trade Agreement and, hopefully, will soon conclude the negotiations for it in the near future.
Sharing the magnitude of activities taking place in India today, the ambassador quoted a few facts. “India is building 28 kilometers of highways every day; 14 km. of rail tracks every day; eight new airports every year; and a new 1.5-km.-metro system every year; it has 1.2 million STEM graduates annually, and the largest number of start-ups in the world. “
Singh added that India has made remarkable progress in science and space exploration. “The historic mission of Indian astronaut Group Capt. Shubhanshu Shukla to become the first Indian to the International Space Station represents a landmark achievement.”
As for the India-Israel relationship, Singh noted that they are strategic partners, citing visits in both directions by several Israeli and Indian cabinet ministers who individually and collectively laid the foundations of the future bilateral partnership.
Recently, the two countries signed several agreements, including a Bilateral Investment Treaty, a Defense Cooperation Agreement, an Agriculture Work Plan, Terms of Reference for Free Trade Agreement, a Joint Action Plan, and more.
In the field of cultural and people-to-people relations, the Indian Cultural Center plays a very active role organizing yoga classes, classical Indian dance classes, film festivals, and dance troupe performances in Haifa, Netanya, Tel Aviv, Ashkelon, and Jerusalem as well as other cities and some kibbutzim.
In other fields of cooperation, progress is being made in many sectors – agriculture, water, defense, science and technology, workforce, and other areas. As encouraging as this is, Singh is convinced that “there is a huge potential in other sectors too.” He cited tourism as one area where increased focus is needed, and he was hopeful that direct air connectivity between India and Israel will spur Israeli tourists to visit and explore India.
In relation to October 7 and the ensuing two and a quarter years, Singh said: “Our leadership and our people stood with our Israeli brothers and sisters. And they stand with them even today. Our leadership condemned the October 7 attack, and we continue to condemn it. We welcomed the Gaza Peace Plan and hope that it will bring peace and security to the region. We were very happy to see the release of all hostages and the supply of humanitarian assistance to the people in Gaza.”
India, like Israel, is constantly on the alert against terrorism. Both countries have a common position and stand with each other while dealing with terrorism, said the ambassador.
“We all need to continue to stand together.”
Singh credited members of Israel’s Indian Jewish community, who have helped in further consolidating India’s relationship with Israel. He also paid tribute to Indian workers and caregivers in Israel. Zohar emphasized that over the years, the relationship between Israel and India has grown stronger, broader, deeper, and more dynamic.
■ KNESSET ELECTION Campaigns are not yet in full swing, but they are definitely underway. Former prime minister Naftali Bennett is eager to get back into office and, according to published surveys, he has a good chance of doing so.
On Tuesday, February 10, Bennett will address the Tel Aviv International Salon, made up of mostly English-speaking immigrants in their 20s. Some of the people in his audience will be first-time voters. Bennett, who is of American parentage and who spent some of his business life in the United States, speaks English with an American accent, which in all likelihood will be an instant icebreaker between him and a considerable section of his audience. The venue is Cappella, 28 HaArba’a St., Hagag South Tower, 14th floor, Tel Aviv, at 7 p.m. Entry is free of charge.
greerfc@gmail.com