Legal groups seek Australian probe into Israeli president for incitement to genocide

Australia’s prominent justice advocates demanded on Friday that the federal police investigate Israeli President Isaac Herzog for incitement to genocide ahead of his expected visit to Canberra in February, Anadolu reports.

The Australian Centre for International Justice (ACIJ), while making a formal request for an investigation, said it would be unacceptable for Herzog, who is accused of inciting genocide, to enter Australia without consequence.

“A person who is alleged to have incited hate to commit the ultimate crime – genocide, must not be allowed to enter Australian territory without facing accountability for these serious allegations. There is a compelling basis for the AFP (Australian Federal Police) to commence an investigation,” Rawan Arraf, executive director of the ACIJ, said in a statement.

“Australia has binding obligations under the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute to investigate and prosecute serious international crimes … Australia has both the legal authority and responsibility to act,” added Arraf.

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“By allowing Herzog to enter Australia without an AFP (Australian Federal Police) investigation of the crimes being alleged against him, the Australian Government is not only showing a blatant disregard for its international legal obligations but also its own domestic law, as these are offences against the Commonwealth of Australia, and Australia should be prosecuting conduct that amounts to incitement to genocide and advocating genocide,” she said

Herzog was invited to Australia by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after the Bondi Beach attack last month, that killed 15 people and injured 42.

Last year, a UN Human Rights Council special commission of inquiry into the war in the Gaza Strip found Israel was committing genocide, and comments made by Herzog following the Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack were evidence of genocidal intent.

The ACIJ has not received a response from the government.

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