Ambassador Hillel Newman, Ambassador of Israel to Australia, will Address the National Press Club of Australia on “Reshaping the Middle East”.

Ambassador Hillel Newman has served as Ambassador of Israel to Australia since February 2026.

A South African–born Israeli career diplomat, he joined Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a cadet and has more than 26 years of diplomatic experience.

Prior to his current role, Ambassador Newman served as Senior Policy Advisor to the Knesset, Israel’s parliament (2024–2026), and as a Policy Advisor to three Ministers of Foreign Affairs. From 2019 to 2023, he served as Consul General of Israel to the Pacific Southwest, based in Los Angeles, representing Israel across seven U.S. states. Earlier in his career, he served as Ambassador of Israel to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan (2008–2013), as well as in senior policy and strategic roles within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Before joining the diplomatic service, Ambassador Newman lectured in Jewish History and Judaic Studies at Bar-Ilan University in Israel and Boston University in the United States. He holds a PhD in Jewish History (with distinction) from Bar-Ilan University (1998), and a BA in Psychology and Jewish History from Bar-Ilan University (1993).