Israeli ambassador to Australia hopes anniversary can restore 'traditional friendship'
Ahead of the third anniversary of the October 7 attack, Israel's ambassador to Australia says he wants to repair strained ties between the two countries, while Palestinian community leaders urge the government to do more for a diaspora affected by the Gaza war.
Speaking before Wednesday's third anniversary of Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, Israel's ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, acknowledged that relations between Canberra and Jerusalem had grown strained but expressed hope of restoring the countries' historical bond. He argued that policy disagreements should not be allowed to overshadow the broader relationship.
Rising tension
Several episodes have complicated ties recently. Israel's foreign ministry publicly criticised Australian foreign minister Penny Wong on social media, calling remarks she made to the UN about settler violence in the West Bank a "blatant lie". Israel had earlier pressed the Australian Labor Party to soften language in a draft policy platform condemning settler violence and a controversial death-penalty law.
Since the 2023 attack, in which Hamas killed roughly 1,200 Israelis and took about 250 hostage, Israel's military response in Gaza has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians. Australia joined the UK, Canada and New Zealand in sanctioning Israeli politicians Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for inciting violence, though unlike the UK it stopped short of banning goods from illegal West Bank settlements.
Relations deteriorated further after Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom was killed in April 2024 when Israeli drones struck a humanitarian convoy. Canberra condemned Israel's decision not to pursue criminal charges over her death and continues to press for accountability, while Newman said Israel remains open to discussing possible reparations for her family.
Diaspora concerns
Leaders of Australia's Palestinian community say the war's toll is felt both in Gaza and within the diaspora, describing a growing sense that they must constantly justify their belonging in Australian society. A 2025 UN commission found Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, an accusation Israel firmly rejects. The debate unfolds against a backdrop of rising antisemitic incidents in Australia, including the approaching first anniversary of the Bondi attack on a Hanukkah gathering in December, which killed 15 people.
