Burke strikes out at Israeli military

Australia will continue to push Israel on the death of Australian aid worker Lalzawmi ‘Zomi’ Frankcom in an Israeli Defence Force air strike, senior minister Tony Burke says.

The newly appointed immigration minister said the Binskin review found Israel had failed to meet “obligations under international law” to protect civilians and aid workers.

Mr Burke said the Albanese government was “grateful” for theco-operation from Israel that“had been demanded by the Australian government”, but made clear Canberra was far from happy.

“We condemn the strikes that caused the killing of Zomi Frankcom,” Mr Burke told Sky News on Sunday.

“The government continues to press with the Israeli ambassador and through all our representations to make sure that all appropriate responses are followed through and considered, including whether or not there should be criminal penalties.”

The special review undertaken by former Australian chief of Defence Mark Binskin, released on Friday, found “serious failures” in Israeli military practices were responsible for the death of Ms Frankcom and six of her World Central Kitchen colleagues.

They were killed in Gaza in an “intentional strike” carried out by Israel in early April.

The Australian government appointed Mr Binskin to review the Israeli government’s response to the incident.

Mr Burke brushed off questions on whether the Albanese government would formally sanction Israel, saying the “most important priority” was to “secure an immediate ceasefire.”

Israel’s incursion into Gaza was sparked by Palestinian militant group Hamas’ brutal October 7 attacks that killed approximately 1200, according to government numbers.

The group kidnapped hundreds of civilians, including children, and took them back into the Palestinian exclave.

The ensuing Israeli counter offensive has killed nearly 40,000 and displaced 1.9 million, the UN has reported.

Thousands of Palestinians have applied for Australian tourist visas in a bid to escape the war.

Only 1200 recipients have arrived in Australia in the past 10 months, with some facing uncertain futures over their rights to stay in the country as their visas near expiry.

Mr Burke said the government was looking at “what the next step is for those individuals.”

“We have to work through what is the appropriate visa to be able to consider for these individuals,” he said.

“Certainly, no country in the world would send people back to Gaza at the moment.”

The minister stopped short of announcing any formal government action.

Mr Burke also commented on OfficeWorks’ response to a “pro-Palestine” employee who refused to serve a Jewish customer at a store in Melbourne.

The encounter, caught on video, happened in March but went viral on Thursday.

“People shouldn’t be refused service because of who they are,” the minister said.

He said he had spoken with the anti-Semitism envoy Jillian Segal, who had been “dealing quite directly” with the incident.

“The worker involved, I understand, was given a formal final warning from OfficeWorks [and] then taken to the Holocaust Museum,” he said.

“That individual worker has now not only issued an apology but also has a much deeper understanding of the issue.”

He said OfficeWorks and its parent, Wesfarmers, were working with Ms Segal on policy reform to prevent such an incident happening again.