New Israeli ambassador Hillel Newman

Israel’s new ambassador to Australia Hillel Newman says his appointment presents an opportunity to reset bilateral relations that have been tested since October 7, 2023.

Newman, who presented his credentials this week, told The AJN that Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar gave him a clear mandate to rebuild the relationship.

“He called me up and said, ‘Look, you’ve got a challenging position. We trust you to make a difference,'” Newman said.

“This is an opportunity when we have an exchange of new ambassadors on both sides to reset the relations and put the negative parts in history and build a positive new future.”

Newman said his priorities included bringing back strategic dialogue between the two countries and practical cooperation in a range of fields. He emphasised that while differences of opinion on issues like the Palestinian question were legitimate, they should not overshadow bilateral relations.