Relationship dossier
Australia
Israel
Relationship assessment
Australia–Israel ties combine practical cooperation with growing disagreement over Middle East policy.
Australia toward Israel
+15Australia has supported Israel’s security and condemned the 7 October 2023 attacks. In 2018, the Australian government recognized West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, though it later reversed that position. Australia has also criticized Israeli actions in Gaza and supported international calls for a ceasefire.
Israel toward Australia
+15Israel has participated in bilateral cybersecurity cooperation with Australia. After an Israeli strike killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom in 2024, Israel acknowledged serious failures and took disciplinary action against military personnel. The scope of other practical bilateral cooperation is unclear.
Overall relationship
+15The relationship has a foundation of diplomatic engagement and practical cooperation, including cybersecurity ties, alongside recurring disputes over Jerusalem and Israeli policy toward Palestinians. The 2024 killing of an Australian aid worker in an Israeli strike added a serious bilateral strain.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Australia and Israel have maintained substantive ties, including cooperation on cybersecurity and longstanding Australian support for Israel’s security. Relations have also faced friction over Australia’s position on Jerusalem, its votes and statements concerning the Gaza war, and the 2024 Israeli strike that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom. The relationship combines practical cooperation with significant disagreements over Middle East policy.
Areas of tension
- Australia’s position on the status of Jerusalem, including its reversal of the 2018 West Jerusalem recognition.
- Australian criticism and voting on Israeli military actions in Gaza.
- The Israeli strike that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom in 2024.
Key developments
Australia recognized West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital; a later Australian government reversed that position.
Australia and Israel agreed to cooperate on cybersecurity.
An Israeli strike killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom; Israel acknowledged serious failures and disciplined military personnel.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral cybersecurity cooperation are unclear.
- The extent of any ongoing bilateral cooperation in other policy areas is uncertain.