This is a shared celebration

This year marks my first Yom Ha’atzmaut in Australia, and it is a privilege to share it with the resilient Jewish community here. I know that the vast majority of the Jewish community in Australia acknowledge that Israel is an integral part of their Jewish identity, sharing in the belief in Zion and the shared heritage and destiny.

Israel’s Independence Day is always a celebration of perseverance, renewal and hope, and marking it with Australian Jews carries special meaning. The connection this community shows toward Israel is unmistakable. Geography is no barrier to our sense of peoplehood.

Israel is not only where the Jewish story began; it is where that story continues to unfold. On Yom Ha’atzmaut we celebrate Israel’s achievements as a nation, but we also celebrate the enduring partnership between Israel and Jewish communities abroad that uphold our yearning for our ancestral homeland.

There is real opportunity to deepen our cooperation in the years ahead, building on the democratic values, innovation, and industrial capabilities that Israel and Australia proudly share. Diplomacy is sustained by partners willing to confront the challenges of the day together, bonded in resilience against an increasingly uncertain world, and I look forward to strengthening that partnership during my tenure here.

This year, Yom Ha’atzmaut is observed against a backdrop of global challenges, following nearly three years of hardship and pain. The day preceding Independence Day is the memorial day for Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism. Grief is bound together with joy. That is the story of the Jewish people. As we mark independence day, we also mourn the victims of terrorism here in Australia.