BREAKING NEWS

President Reuven Rivlin to pay state visit to Australia

President Reuven Rivlin will pay a state visit to Australia next month.  He will be the third Israeli president to do so after presidents Chaim  Herzog and Moshe Katsav.
Rivlin will travel via Hong Kong where he will meet with the Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying and other dignitaries, and then will proceed to Australia where he will meet with Governor General Peter Cosgrove, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and other major political figures.
Israel has a long relationship with Australia that goes back far beyond the establishment of the state.  Australian troops were stationed in the Land of Israel during the First and Second  World Wars, and Australia was the first country to vote ‘yes’ on the United Nations resolution for the partition of Palestine in November, 1947.  Australia was also among the first countries to recognize Israel after the proclamation of the state and established diplomatic relations in January, 1949.
Trade relations between the two countries are strong and include bilateral investments and the supply of Israeli defense equipment to the Australian Defense Forces by Elbit Systems.
Rivlin is scheduled to leave Israel on March 13 and to return on March 22 just in time to celebrate Purim.