Bilateral relations between Australia and Israel, were established in 1949. Australia has an embassy in Tel Aviv and Israel has an embassy in Canberra. Relations between the two countries' governments have often been shaped by the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia between 1996 and 2007, has stated that "[Australia's] capacity to influence events within the region is limited and should not be over-stated". On 28 March 2019, the governments of Australia and Israel signed the first tax treaty between the two countries, to prevent double taxation and tax avoidance. In 2017–18, total merchandise trade between Australia and Israel was worth over $1 billion, and Israel's investment in Australia in 2017 was $301 million. The treaty entered into force on 1 January 2020 after both countries completed their domestic ratification procedures. In 2013, Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs describes Australia and Israel as having "a healthy commercial relationship with two-way trade worth $919 million." In 2015–16, two-way goods and services trade amounted to $1.3 billion, of which Australian exports were worth $349 million and imports from Israel $952 million. In 2015, Australian investment in Israel totalled $663 million and Israeli investment in Australia was $262 million. History Four Australian Light Horse brigades and a battalion of camel troops took part in the British conquest of Palestine in 1916–1917. The Australian-Jewish general John Monash was a leader of the Australian Zionist movement. Australian soldiers fought in the Middle East in World War II. The Australian foreign minister H.V. Evatt served as Chairman of the UN General Assembly's Ad Hoc Committee on Palestine and helped to push through the UN Partition Plan on November 29, 1947. Australia was the first country to vote in favour of the plan despite heavy pressure from the United Kingdom on its fellow Commonwealth nations to abstain on the resolution. Australia's position Israel and Australia have had diplomatic relations since the Australian government of Ben Chifley recognised Israel on 28 January 1949. The Liberal–Country Party Coalition supported Israel during and after the 1967 Six-Day War. However, the subsequent Labor government led by Gough Whitlam, elected in 1972, shifted to what was described as a more "even-handed" approach to relations. The change came after the Yom Kippur War of 1973, and was linked with Whitlam's desire to be on friendlier terms with Arab countries. The subsequent Liberal government led by Malcolm Fraser, elected in 1975, expressed