Sydney: UN special rapporteur Ben Saul on Monday challenged Israeli President Isaac Herzog's claim that Beersheba was linked to Israel in 1917, asserting that the town was part of the Ottoman Empire at the time and later allocated to a Palestinian state under a UN plan.
According to Anadolu Agency, Saul criticized Herzog's statement made during a speech in Sydney, where the Israeli President mentioned the historical connection between Australia and Israel. Herzog spoke of ANZACs liberating Beersheba and offering refuge to survivors of the Shoah during a five-day visit to Australia, which has seen protests demanding accountability over genocide in Gaza. ANZAC refers to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, which fought under the British Empire in World War I against the Central Powers, notably the Ottoman Empire, in the Middle East.
Saul took to the social media platform X, operated by a US company, to express his disagreement. He stated that "In 1917, Beersheba was an Arab town in the Ottoman Empire. Later, the UN partition plan for British Palestine allocated it to a Palestinian State. Israel took it anyway, then depopulated the Palestinians." Herzog had addressed a crowd at Sydney's International Convention Centre, emphasizing the historical ties between Canberra and Tel Aviv as well as the strong Jewish community in Australia, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Prior to Herzog's visit, Saul had expressed concern over Canberra's invitation, alleging that the Israeli leader had incited genocide, violence, and hatred against Palestinians. He warned that Herzog's visit could further divide Australia following the Bondi terrorist attack and exacerbate the trauma of victims of Israeli actions.
As Herzog arrived in Australia, protests erupted with thousands taking to the streets, leading to clashes with police. Herzog, accompanied by police, Israeli security, and snipers, visited Sydney to engage with Jewish communities in the wake of the Bondi terror attack in December.
A UN Human Rights Council special commission of inquiry into the Gaza conflict reported last year that Israel committed genocide, citing Herzog's comments after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, as evidence of genocidal intent. Herzog's visit coincides with a ceasefire halting an Israeli offensive that began in October 2023. Gaza's Health Ministry reported over 72,000 Palestinians killed and more than 171,000 wounded, with about 90% of Gaza's infrastructure destroyed. Despite the ceasefire, the ministry stated that the Israeli army continued to violate it, resulting in 576 Palestinian deaths and 1,543 injuries.