# List of ambassadors of Australia to Israel

The ambassador of Australia to Israel is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Australia to the State of Israel. The ambassador is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Australia to the State of Israel 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 who was appointed as the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Australian legation 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

| Ordinal | Officeholder | Title | Term start date | Term end date | Time in office |
| 1 | Osmond Charles Fuhrman OBE | Minister to Israel | 28 October 1949 (1949-10-28) | March 1955 (1955-03) | 5 years, 4 months |
| 2 | Bertram Ballard | Minister to Israel | July 1955 (1955-07) | February 1960 (1960-02) | 4 years, 7 months |
| 3 | John McMillan | Minister to Israel | March 1960 (1960-03) | 14 October 1960 (1960-10-14) | 3 years, 1 month |
| 3 | John McMillan | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | 14 October 1960 (1960-10-14) | April 1963 (1963-04) | 3 years, 1 month |
| 4 | John Hood CBE | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | April 1963 (1963-04) | September 1964 (1964-09) | 1 year, 5 months |
| 5 | William Landale | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | January 1965 (1965-01) | March 1970 (1970-03) | 5 years, 2 months |
| 6 | Marshall Johnston | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | March 1970 (1970-03) | September 1972 (1972-09) | 2 years, 6 months |
| 7 | Rawdon Dalrymple | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | September 1972 (1972-09) | June 1975 (1975-06) | 2 years, 9 months |
| 8 | Richard Smith | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | June 1975 (1975-06) | November 1977 (1977-11) | 2 years, 5 months |
| 9 | Walter Handmer | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | November 1977 (1977-11) | July 1980 (1980-07) | 2 years, 8 months |
| 10 | David Goss | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | July 1980 (1980-07) | December 1983 (1983-12) | 3 years, 5 months |
| 11 | Robert Merrillees | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | December 1983 (1983-12) | 1987 (1987) | 3–4 years |
| 12 | John Campbell | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | 1987 (1987) | July 1990 (1990-07) | 2–3 years |
| 13 | William Fisher | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | July 1990 (1990-07) | July 1993 (1993-07) | 3 years |
| 14 | Peter William Rodgers | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | January 1994 (1994-01) | May 1997 (1997-05) | 3 years, 4 months |
| 15 | Ian Wilcock | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | May 1997 (1997-05) | February 2000 (2000-02) | 2 years, 9 months |
| 16 | Richard Rigby | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | February 2000 (2000-02) | July 2001 (2001-07) | 1 year, 5 months |
| 17 | Ross Burns | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | July 2001 (2001-07) | September 2003 (2003-09) | 2 years, 2 months |
| 18 | Tim George | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | September 2003 (2003-09) | September 2006 (2006-09) | 3 years |
| 19 | James Larsen | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | September 2006 (2006-09) | March 2010 (2010-03) | 3 years, 6 months |
| 20 | Andrea Faulkner | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | March 2010 (2010-03) | June 2013 (2013-06) | 3 years, 3 months |
| 21 | Dave Sharma | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | June 2013 (2013-06) | 19 June 2017 (2017-06-19) | 4 years |
| 22 | Chris Cannan | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | 19 June 2017 (2017-06-19) | September 2020 (2020-09) | 3 years, 2 months |
| 23 | Paul Griffiths | Ambassador of Australia to the State of Israel | October 2020 (2020-10) | incumbent | 4 years, 1 month |