Australia Summons Israel's Ambassador Over Closed World Central Kitchen Probe
Published
Australia has summoned Israel's ambassador in Canberra, Hillel Newman, after the Military Advocate General's Corps closed the April 2024 strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, including Australian Zomi Frankcom, without a criminal investigation. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia is outraged and that the decision falls far short of the accountability it expects. Wong also instructed Australia's ambassador to Israel to convey that position. The Military Advocate General found that despite serious failures in the assessment that Hamas operatives were traveling in the vehicles, the commanders' decisions did not raise reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct. The same rulings ordered criminal investigations in two other Gaza incidents.
Sources
Difference in reporting
Sources factually disagree on whether the summons has already taken place: Ynet reports that Australia summoned Ambassador Hillel Newman; SBS and ABC report that Foreign Minister Penny Wong will call the ambassador in for an explanation. The remaining facts are uniform: the Military Advocate General's Corps closed the World Central Kitchen case on August 19 without opening a criminal investigation, Wong said Australia is outraged and that the decision falls far short of the accountability it expects, seven aid workers including Zomi Frankcom were killed in the April 2024 strike, and Australia's ambassador to Israel was instructed to convey the same position.
People in this story
Commentary
Loading comments…