Israel's ambassador urged Australia to 'respect the process' after the Israeli Defense Forces ruled out a criminal investigation into the killing of World Central Kitchen aid workers, including Australian Zomi Frankcom. The Greens have called for sanctions against Israel in response.
Key facts
- The IDF decided not to pursue a criminal investigation into the killing of World Central Kitchen aid workers, including Australian Zomi Frankcom.
- Israel's ambassador said Australia should 'respect the process'.
- Greens leader Larissa Waters called the decision 'outrageous' and demanded the government sanction Israel.
- Waters said Australia should end its involvement in a 'two-way arms trade' with Israel.
- The news was released on World Humanitarian Day.
Israel’s ambassador to Australia has urged the Australian government to ‘respect the process’ after the Israeli Defense Forces decided not to pursue a criminal investigation into the killing of World Central Kitchen aid workers, including Australian Zomi Frankcom, according to the Guardian.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from the Greens. Party leader Larissa Waters described the outcome as ‘absolutely outrageous’, saying that after two years of investigating, Israeli authorities had ‘cleared themselves of any wrongdoing’.
Waters argued that strongly worded statements from the Australian government were not enough. ‘The Australian government needs to do more than just issue some strongly worded statements,’ she said. ‘They need to sanction the state of Israel and they need to make sure that we are not involved in a two-way arms trade, which we are at the moment.’
The Greens leader paid tribute to Frankcom, describing her death as a significant loss to her family and the broader Australian community. ‘She was the best of us,’ Waters said, referring to aid workers as ‘the people that run into danger, that try to help others.’
Waters also noted the timing of the announcement, saying it was ‘deeply disappointing that this news was obviously released on world humanitarian day’. She added that many were concerned ‘nothing more is going to be done about this’.
The Greens have said that sending the Israeli ambassador home should be on the table as part of a stronger response from the Australian government.
Why it matters
The killing of an Australian aid worker abroad and the decision not to pursue criminal charges raises questions about accountability and how the Australian government responds to the death of its citizens overseas. The debate over sanctions and arms trade ties reflects broader tensions in Australia's relationship with Israel.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Zomi Frankcom?
Zomi Frankcom was an Australian aid worker with World Central Kitchen who was killed alongside other aid workers. The Greens described her as 'the best of us' and among those who 'run into danger, that try to help others'.
What did the IDF decide?
According to the Guardian, the Israeli Defense Forces decided not to pursue a criminal investigation into the killing of the World Central Kitchen aid workers, including Frankcom.
What is the Greens calling for in response?
Greens leader Larissa Waters called for the Australian government to sanction the state of Israel, end involvement in a two-way arms trade, and said sending the Israeli ambassador home should be on the table.