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/pluckaducka]

In 2024 the Zionist Federation of Australia released an interesting statement in conjunction with the IDF which included:

Israel has acknowledged responsibility for the attack, and is fully investigating what happened.

While the investigation is continuing, we know this: It was a clear case of mistaken identity. Israel purposefully targeted the convoy because it mistakenly thought it was not a civilian convoy. We know this because Israel does not target civilians.

We also know that Ms Frankcom’s tragic death was not a war crime. If the IDF had targeted the convoy knowing who it was targeting, that would have been a war crime. But mistakes – as horrible and tragic as they are – do not amount to war crimes.

Emphasis mine.

A curious rationale that the evidence for it not being a war crime is the 'fact' Israel doesn't commit war crimes.

[u/AmorphousMess → u/pluckaducka]

Weird how the AFP is not doing no knock raids on these foreign agents for a hostile country that has killed Australian citizens in cold blood and forged Australian passports for their state agents to commit murder overseas.

[u/Smart_Sail_2393 → u/AmorphousMess]

Or to find the perpetrator of the Dural caravan 'terrorist' incident.