Sandra Heilpern, I initially shared your disquiet regarding the Herzog visit, but I suspect we were coming at the issue from different perspectives.
I thought it was a stupid and risky political move to seek controversy – even with his own supporters.
An Age/SMH podcast of Albo in conversation with Jaqueline Maley and Paul Sakkal: ‘Anthony Albanese interview: Police prayer disruption at Herzog protest requires “full explanation”’, gave me a different slant. I recommend a listen. It made me wonder whether we are both looking through too narrow a political lens in the context of an overpoliticised tragedy and overpoliticised foreign conflict.
The invitation was issued by our head of state, Sam Moyston, at the PM’s request to the Israeli head of state – not a member of the Netanyahu government – given that the community requested the visit to provide comfort to the victims and families of the dead. Albo posited a simple question: What sort of message would be delivered to the Australian community – and the world – if Hertzog’s visit was denied in that context?
It may have been a grandiose, opportunistic gesture but do we all need to calm the gesturing and apply a lens of empathy and humanity.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
