source : the age
To state politics now and ahead of a planned protest against the Australian visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Forrest Place this afternoon, Premier Roger Cook has backed their right to protest but rejected the premise of the rally.
Herzog arrived at Sydney Airport this morning to pay tribute to the 15 killed during the terrorist attack at the Hannukah celebration in Bondi on December 14. He will spend the next four days travelling to Canberra and Melbourne.
Friends of Palestine WA will join in a nationwide series of protests with a rally this afternoon at Forrest Place.
Organiser Nick Everett said the protests were being staged to demand the Australian Federal Police arrest Herzog after a United Nations commission of inquiry found Herzog and other Israeli officials were “liable to prosecution for incitement to genocide” for comments made after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.
“The Albanese government has chosen to roll out the red carpet to Isaac Herzog. Inviting Herzog to Australia is a political endorsement of Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza. It sends a clear message that war crimes will be rewarded rather than held accountable,” he said.
Cook said “obviously” he didn’t think Herzog should be arrested and said that wasn’t the role of the AFP.
“President Herzog has responded to an invitation from Prime Minister Albanese. It’s appropriate that he’s treated with the respect that an overseas dignitary deserves,” he said.
“We have views about the conflict in Gaza, I understand that they’re views that are felt by everyone, and the scenes you see in Gaza are, quite frankly, distressing, and it challenges your sense of humanity.
“But it’s important that everyone do the right thing, express their views respectfully and peacefully. That’s what we do in a democracy.“
The rally comes a fortnight after the Invasion Day rally at Forrest Place, which was evacuated after a man allegedly threw an improvised bomb into the crowd in what has now been deemed a terrorist act.
Cook said police would work closely with organisers to ensure the protest took place safely.
Speaking at Bondi during his visit on Monday morning Herzog said the demonstrations “undermine and delegitimise” his nation’s “mere existence”.
“We did not seek that war on October 7,” he said. “People were butchered, murdered, raped and burnt and abducted. We have here bereaved Israeli families who came from … Kibbutz Nir Oz and from the war in order to express their condolences here at Bondi.”
Homicide detectives are investigating after a woman was found dead inside an Albany home yesterday.
WA Police said the officers were called to the Burville Street home, in Spencer Park, around 3.10pm on Sunday.
A woman, 69, was found dead inside the residence.
A man, 50, who is known to the woman, is assisting police with their enquiries.
Inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death are ongoing.
To overnight news now and two people have died in a three-car crash in Butler overnight.
The vehicles collided on Mitchell Freeway near the Lukin Drive exit around 11.30pm on Sunday.
Part of the freeway was shut as emergency crews attended the scene.
Police are now trying to investigate what caused the fatal crash.
Here’s what’s making news across the nation and around the world today:
- Jim Chalmers is under growing political pressure over government spending and its role in interest rate movements. But where has spending changed since 2022?
- Opposition Leader Sussan Ley insists she will lead her party to the next election and that she has the support of her colleagues, as moderate senator Jane Hume demanded change from Coalition leaders, accusing them of dragging the party towards electoral oblivion.
- When Bad Bunny takes to the stage for today’s history-making Super Bowl half-time show, the world will be glued to their televisions to see what he has to say about Donald Trump’s America.
Tropical Cyclone Mitchell is impacting our state’s North West, bringing heavy rain and damaging wind gusts.
Perth will get a shower or two from the remnants of the system on Tuesday.
The rest of the week will be quite mild for February.
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog for Monday, February 9.
Making headlines this morning, Tropical Cyclone Mitchell continues to track down the West Australian coast and is expected to make landfall tonight as a category two system near Carnarvon.
Wild winds and heavy rainfall has already lashed the North West coast as the cyclone tracks south, with some mine sites forced to evacuate.
Between 100 – 200 millimetres of rain is expected in the next 24 hours, which could cause flash flooding and road closures in the area.
Emergency warnings are in place for South of Onslow to Ningaloo and Coral Bay to Minilya Roadhouse.
Meanwhile, new data shows the number of properties for sale across Perth increased by almost 30 per cent during the month of January, but new listings remain well below the 10-year average.
And hard-nosed Hawks defender Blake Hardwick says AFL players are bracing for frenetic football in 2026 under new rules designed to speed up the game and test defenders.
The new rules will be on public display for the first time when Hardwick makes his State of Origin debut in the match between Victoria and Western Australia on Saturday, with the ball expected to fly up and down Optus Stadium.
Stay with us as we bring you the news of the day, as it happens.
