This week, dignitaries and leaders from Australia and New Zealand gathered to commemorate the centennial victory at Beersheva by the ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Light Horse Brigade on October 31, 1917. The Battle at Beersheva was one of the great victories in the World War I battle to loosen the Ottoman Empire’s hold on Israel, then called Palestine.
Adapted from: Israel21C:
The battle was the beginning of a successful offensive that resulted in the capture of Jerusalem by British forces in December 1917.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, New Zealand Governor General Patsy Reddy, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and their spouses all attended a memorial ceremony for fallen ANZAC soldiers in Tel Sheva, an archeological site believed to be the remains of the biblical Beersheva.
The centennial commemoration highlighted the close historic bond between Israel, Australia and New Zealand, which continues to be sustained through strong and increased business, trade and investment ties.
Australia is looking to learn from Israel’s experience as an innovation powerhouse. While the Australian economy has a traditional focus on investment in the mining sector and natural resources, business leaders are increasingly shifting their focus to modern technologies.
Speaking at a function on Tuesday night that was attended by 300 business leaders from Israel and Australia, ASX CEO Dominic Stevens said he saw the increase in Israel-Australia business ties as “the beginning of a long-term trend”, as evidenced by the unusual number of Israeli companies that have listed on the ASX in the past 12 months. Many Israeli start-ups find Australia to have favourable business conditions and view it as an entry point to the Asia-Pacific.
Israel’s strengths in cyber security, agritech, clean technology, water technology and medical marijiuana are just some of the fields Australians are interested in.
Israel Trade and Economic Commission in Sydney, Australia 