Julie Bishop's first utterance as acting Prime Minister originated in her own portfolio, but was anything but safe.

Rather it was a forward-leaning exercise in scene setting ahead of Malcolm Turnbull's arrival in Jerusalem some hours later.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday. Credit:AAP

A visit being watched as closely in Washington as it will be in this country.

Bishop warned that a mooted US withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal would undermine efforts toward a denouement with North Korea's Kim Jong-un.