Herzog declares global antisemitism emergency, backing Israel as terror fueled by extremists targets Jews worldwide.
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog delivered a stark warning from Jerusalem, declaring the worldwide surge in antisemitism a “global emergency” as he addressed a ceremony marking one week since the antisemitic terror massacre in Sydney, Australia.
The memorial was held at Jerusalem’s National Institutions Building, attended by World Zionist Organization Chairman Yaakov Hagoel, representatives of the Australian Embassy, and bereaved families still reeling from the brutal attack.
Speaking on the eighth and final night of Hanukkah—a festival symbolizing Jewish survival against violent oppression—Herzog addressed Australian Jewry directly. Instead of celebration, he said, Hanukkah had been overshadowed by terror, grief, and loss. “Despite thousands of miles between us, we feel your pain,” he declared, emphasizing the unbreakable bond between Israel and Jewish communities worldwide.
Herzog’s remarks went beyond mourning. He framed the Sydney massacre as part of a wider pattern—one driven by radical ideologies that demonize Israel and, inevitably, Jews everywhere. When hatred toward the Jewish state is normalized—often excused by Arab and Palestinian-aligned narratives—it metastasizes into open violence against Jewish civilians abroad.
Calling the fight against antisemitism an urgent call to action, Herzog stressed that governments, institutions, and ordinary citizens must reject lies, bias, and incitement before the next atrocity occurs. Silence, he warned, is complicity.
The President praised the courage of those who intervened during the Sydney attack, saying their humanity would be remembered forever. He also expressed hope to visit Australia soon to personally convey Israel’s solidarity, strength, and love to a wounded community.
Concluding with resolve rather than despair, Herzog affirmed that terror will not extinguish Jewish life or identity. “We will not allow hatred to break us. We will not allow terror to diminish our light,” he said—ending with words that have carried the Jewish people through centuries of persecution and survival: Am Yisrael Chai.
