The ambassador of Australia to Israel is an officer of the

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is the department of the Australian federal government responsible for foreign policy and relations, international aid (using the branding Australian Aid), consular services and trade and inv ...

and the head of the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Australia to the

State of Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

. The ambassador is an officer of the Australian

and the head of the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Australia to the

in Tel Aviv. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary. The current ambassador, since October 2020, is Paul Griffiths. Israel and Australia have enjoyed official diplomatic relations since the Australian government of Ben Chifley recognised Israel on 28 January 1949. The first Australian representative was

Osmond Charles Fuhrman Osmond Charles William Fuhrman (19 July 188910 November 1961) was an Australian public servant and diplomat. In November 1949 Fuhrman was appointed the first Australian Minister to Israel. He presented his credentials in Tel Aviv in January&n ...

who was appointed as the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Australian

legation A legation was a diplomatic representative office of lower rank than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an ambassador, a legation was headed by a Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, minister. Ambassadors diplomatic rank, out ...

in Tel Aviv in October 1949. Orsmond presented his credentials to President Chaim Weizmann on 4 January 1950. In October 1960 the legations of Israel in Canberra and of Australia in Tel Aviv were raised to embassy status and the Australian Minister John McMillan became the first ambassador.

List of heads of mission

See also

References

External links