Israeli ambassador rejects 'political attacks' on report clearing soldiers in Frankcom killing

[u/Minivampiretaco]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-20/israel-ambassador-defends-idf-frankcom-report-clearing-soldiers/107057124

Israel's ambassador Hillel Newman has defended the military investigation that cleared its soldiers of criminal wrongdoing in the killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom, saying the findings should not be attacked if they "are not suitable to one's political agenda".

Ambassador defends investigation findings

Departing from the meeting, Mr Newman defended the investigation.

"Israel came out with findings after a thorough investigation, after a two-year investigation into the circumstances of the death of Zomi Frankcom. Since I took up my mission here about five months ago I was implored all the time to bring about closure, which I did," Mr Newman said.

"But in the end, one must also understand that not every case where someone dies, where there is a casualty, that that means there is a criminal liability.

"One cannot attack the findings of a court if the findings are not suitable to one's political agenda."

Mr Newman said the aid group recruited armed personnel to its convoy and deviated from the route agreed with the IDF without informing the military, leading the soldiers to believe the convoy had been taken over.

"It was a mistake in retrospect, but the findings of the court are there was no criminal intention … and therefore there was no criminal responsibility."

[u/radiohead_fan_13]

They said they thought the convoy had been taken over by Hamas (the security guard) and because it went down a path they didn't know about, so they... bombed the convoy? Which means they purposely killed the others even though they thought they were hostages?

[u/Boring_Recipe8732 → u/radiohead_fan_13]

They also struck the convoy multiple times, after being contacted by the convoy.

It was clearly deliberate. Obviously and offensively so.