Dozens of activists protested outside the Israeli Embassy in Canberra on Tuesday, demanding the expulsion of Israel’s ambassador after Israel declined to pursue criminal charges against officers involved in the 2024 killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six other humanitarian workers in Gaza.
Protesters displayed photographs of Palestinians killed in Gaza and chanted slogans including “Kick out the Israeli ambassador” and “Free Palestine,” SBS News reported. Demonstrators also blocked the embassy entrance before police moved them from the driveway.
Anger over accountability for aid worker deaths
Frankcom, 43, and six other World Central Kitchen workers were killed on April 1 2024, when Israeli drones struck three clearly marked vehicles belonging to their humanitarian convoy in central Gaza.
The latest protest followed comments by Colonel Nochi Mendel, the Israeli commander who authorised the strikes, who defended the decision in an interview published last week.
“I’m not sorry for what I did,” Mendel said.
Frankcom’s friend Karuna Bajracharya, who joined Tuesday’s demonstration, described the remarks as “disgusting” and criticised the lack of criminal accountability.
Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi also accused the Australian government of failing to take sufficient action against Israel and called for sanctions.
“They should have sanctioned Israel a long time ago,” Faruqi told protesters.
Australian government voices outrage
The dispute has also drawn criticism from senior Australian officials.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said last month that she was “outraged” by Israel’s decision not to pursue criminal charges, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Israel had fallen short of the level of accountability Australia expected.
The Canberra demonstration reflects growing pressure on the Australian government to take stronger measures against Israel.
