Australia's government has expressed outrage and will summon Israel's ambassador after the Israeli Defence Force decided not to open a criminal investigation into airstrikes that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six others.
Key facts
- Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the government is 'outraged' and will call in Israel's ambassador.
- The IDF decided not to open a criminal investigation into the killing of Australian Zomi Frankcom and six others.
- The aid workers were killed when airstrikes hit a convoy of World Central Kitchen vehicles.
- Wong said the timing of the decision was 'especially insulting'.
- Greens leader Larissa Waters called for sanctions against Israel and said sending the ambassador home should be on the table.
The Australian government has expressed outrage after the Israeli Defence Force decided not to open a criminal investigation into those responsible for killing Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six others, according to Guardian Australia’s live coverage.
The deaths occurred after airstrikes hit a convoy of World Central Kitchen vehicles. Frankcom was among seven people killed in the attack on the aid workers.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the timing of the IDF’s decision not to pursue a criminal investigation was ‘especially insulting’. The government said it would call in Israel’s ambassador in response to the decision.
Greens leader Larissa Waters said strong words were not enough and urged the government to go further. She described the outcome as ‘absolutely outrageous’, saying that after two years of investigating, Israeli authorities had ‘cleared themselves of any wrongdoing’.
Waters called on the Australian government to sanction the state of Israel and to ensure the country was not involved in what she described as a two-way arms trade. She said sending the Israeli ambassador home should be on the table.
Reflecting on Frankcom’s death, Waters said it was ‘a significant loss not only to her family, but to the Australian community, because she was the best of us,’ describing aid workers as ‘the people that run into danger, that try to help others’. She noted the news was released on World Humanitarian Day and said she was concerned nothing further would be done.
Why it matters
The killing of an Australian citizen delivering humanitarian aid and the decision not to pursue a criminal investigation raise significant diplomatic tensions between Australia and Israel. The government's response, and calls from the Greens for sanctions, could shape Australia's future relationship with Israel and its stance on humanitarian protections.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Zomi Frankcom?
Zomi Frankcom was an Australian aid worker killed alongside six others when airstrikes hit a convoy of World Central Kitchen vehicles. Greens leader Larissa Waters described her as 'the best of us' and her death as a significant loss to her family and the Australian community.
What action is the Australian government taking?
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the government is 'outraged' and will call in Israel's ambassador after the IDF decided not to open a criminal investigation into the killings.
What do the Greens want the government to do?
Greens leader Larissa Waters says strong words are not enough and has called for the government to sanction the state of Israel, end involvement in a two-way arms trade, and consider sending the Israeli ambassador home.