Family of Australian aid worker killed by Israel wants criminal probe: Wong
Make us a preferred source
Make us a preferred source on Google
The news: Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the family of an Australian aid worker killed by Israel, Zomi Frankcom, wants a criminal investigation into the “inexcusable” incident.
The context: In April, Frankcom was working for the World Central Kitchen in Gaza when she was killed by Israeli airstrikes in a series of attacks which also killed six others. The convoy the trio was travelling was marked with the WCK logo, and they were targeted by multiple strikes as they fled between vehicles.
Special Adviser Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin was tasked to deliver a report on the incident.
Announcing his report on Friday, Binskin said the killings were the result of a series of errors in communication within the IDF. Binskin said the officers involved were surprised by the presence of armed security with the aid workers, did not properly read the convoy’s approved and detailed movement plan, and a lack of real-time communication between the IDF and the aid workers.
Two IDF soldiers were removed from their post over the incident, while another three senior officers were reprimanded. Binskin described Israel’s response as “timely, appropriate and, with some exceptions, sufficient”.
His report called for Israel to improve its coordination with aid workers in Gaza.
On Friday, Wong stopped short of calling for criminal charges herself but stressed Frankcom’s family viewed the discipline imposed so far as inadequate. Wong said Australia would “continue to advocate” for their views.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the killings by saying “this happens in wartime” but promised to investigate the incident.
Wong implied Netanyahu was attempting to “brush aside” the killings and labelled his comments “deeply insensitive”.
Israeli bombardments have killed around 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October, according to local authorities.
What they said: “This was not a one-off incident. The UN reports that more than 250 aid workers have been killed since the start of this conflict, and in recent weeks, a number of UN vehicles have come under attack," Wong said on Friday in Adelaide.
"This is not acceptable … We do believe an apology should be provided."
The source: Penny Wong press conference
