Prejudiced on IDF
Australia, alone among Israel's friends, insisted on sending a representative to monitor Israel's probe.
When the IDF’s strike in Gaza tragically killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six of her World Central Kitchen co-workers in April, the Israeli military quickly responded with a comprehensive investigation.
Israel apologised and committed to changing its procedures. Australia, alone among Israel’s friends, insisted on sending a representative to monitor Israel’s probe.
It smacked of distrust and animus towards a fellow democracy fighting an existentialist war against an implacable, barbaric foe deliberately embedded among civilians in a dense urban environment.
Although he had no mandate, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin enjoyed the full cooperation of the IDF. His report concluded that Israel had conducted a fair and thorough investigation. He even observed that the Australian Defence Force would not have been able to dismiss senior personnel related to such an incident as rapidly as Israel.
For Canberra, that should have been more than the end of the matter. But Foreign Minister Penny Wong is now holding out for possible criminal charges and penalties. And she’s been echoed by ministerial colleague Tony Burke.
The Albanese government will be in the fight of its life against the Greens for the votes of pro-Palestinian supporters in seats holding the key to its re-election.
The whiff of domestic politics is nowhere stronger than in Burke’s backyard, his western Sydney seat of Watson, home to a sizeable number of anti-Israel voters. The realities of Watson and similar electorates can’t be ignored when listening to Burke’s commentary on the aid workers last week, weighing “criminal penalties” for Israel.
By contrast, the Opposition has taken a fair stance on Israel’s enormous challenges – most recently with Coalition leader Peter Dutton’s visit, including the ravaged south where Hamas struck on October 7, which Wong avoided during her belated visit.
Jewish Australians have for decades experienced a broad, bipartisan consensus on what’s fair and what’s not over Israel.
Sadly, under the present government, especially since October 7, on UNRWA, on a Palestinian state, on action against explosive antisemitism, and now on this, the middle ground has cratered.
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