Israeli ambassador declines direct apology as family seeks justice
Updated ,first published
Israel’s new chief diplomat in Australia has refused to directly apologize to Zomi Frankcom’s family; because his relatives were pressing for the resolution of the Israeli investigation into the soldiers who killed the Australian aid worker in a drone strike two years ago.
Frankcom’s brother Mal met with Anthony Albanese at the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday, ahead of the second anniversary of his death, to call on the prime minister to use all possible diplomatic tools to pressure Israel’s chief military prosecutor to complete the investigation into the murders of seven World Central Kitchen employees.
Frankcom’s family is also calling for confirmation that audio recordings of the drone strike, which were not given to former Australian Defense Force chief Mark Binskin, were examined by Israeli investigators as they examined the circumstances of his killing on April 1, 2024.
“I don’t want to be here another year and have to say this again when this issue is still not satisfactorily resolved,” Mal Frankcom said.
“Seven innocent aid workers, all wonderful people, were killed.
“We do not find it acceptable that those responsible can simply be removed from their duties and go about their lives with little or no impact. This does not seem like justice to us.”
Israeli ambassador Hillel Newman also defended the Israeli parliament’s adoption of a new death penalty rule for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank after Australia joined other countries in condemning the bill as undermining Israel’s commitment to democratic principles.
When asked several times directly whether he would apologize to Frankcom’s relatives, Newman called her death a tragic mistake.
“Any incident where an innocent person or aid worker is affected by a war situation is tragic and we expressed our full sympathy to the family,” he told the National Press Club.
Newman stated that he did not believe that the military prosecutor’s investigation had been shelved and said, “As far as I know, it has not reached a conclusion yet.”
Frankcom said his family wanted to receive a formal apology from the Israeli government, but believed this was unlikely because it “could be seen as an admission of guilt.”
“What’s more important to us is to see the chief military prosecutor decide whether they believe the incident should be referred for further investigation or whether they believe simply removing those involved is sufficient,” he said.
Binskin’s final report found that the attack on Frankcom’s World Headquarters Kitchen aid convoy was “not knowingly or deliberately directed” at aid workers, in line with Israel’s conclusion that it was a “serious mistake”.
According to the Israeli military, two Israeli officers were dismissed and three senior officers were officially reprimanded.
Binskin was given access to unedited drone footage of the attack, but it did not contain audio.
Newman also answered questions about Israel’s conflict with Iran, saying that although regime change was not the official goal of the military operation, he believed “there is a high probability that the Iranian people will then take to the streets and overthrow the regime.”
Newman was speaking to the press club just hours after the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, passed a law imposing the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of deadly terror attacks.
“Just like the USA, Japan and India, where the death penalty is imposed, Israel has the right to decide as a sovereign state. [to use] Death penalty,” Newman said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong told a Labor Party meeting on Tuesday that Australia opposes the death penalty “in all cases”, pointing to a joint statement signed by Australia with France, Germany, Italy and Britain opposing the Israeli legislation.
“We are particularly concerned about the de facto discriminatory character of the bill,” the joint statement said. “Adoption of this bill risks undermining Israel’s commitments to democratic principles.”
Independent MP Zali Steggall said in a letter to Albanese this month that the Frankcom family “remain deeply dissatisfied with both the Israeli response and Australia’s efforts to secure accountability” over his death and that “important questions remain unanswered”.
Stegall, who raised the issue at the time, wants Australia to request “an independent third-party investigation into the attack, including whether it constitutes a violation of international law.”
Albanese called Frankcom’s death a “tragic loss” and said he raised the issue with Israeli President Isaac Herzog during his February visit.
“We will continue to work every day to do our best to ensure transparency and appropriate precautions are in place,” he said.
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