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A pair of full-page newspaper advertisements claiming to represent Jewish opposition to Israeli President Isaac Herzog current visit to Australia triggered widespread anger across the country’s Jewish community.

Evidence quickly emerged that the campaign relied on false, non-consensual, and misleading names.

The ads, funded by the progressive Jewish Council of Australia, ran Monday in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Under the headline “Jews say no! Over 1,000 Jews have said no to Herzog,” the ads claimed that “welcoming an alleged war criminal in the aftermath of the Bondi massacre betrays Jewish communities, multicultural Australia, and everyone who stands for Palestinian human rights and international law.”

That claim unraveled almost immediately.

Names Used Without Permission

Several people named in the advertisements publicly stated they never signed or authorized the use of their names. Among them was David Slade, managing director of Slade Pharmacies and president of United Israel Appeal Victoria. “Let me be absolutely clear: I did not sign, endorse, or authorize my name to be included,” Slade said.

He described the inclusion of names without consent as a “gross ethical failure” and questioned how a campaign claiming broad Jewish support could rely on such tactics. Slade also reaffirmed his support for Israel and Herzog’s visit.

Other Australians likewise reported that their names appeared without...

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