It follows an earlier intervention into domestic Australian politics, where Israel urged Labor to soften criticism in a draft policy platform<\/a> that condemned settler violence and a controversial death penalty law.<\/p>\n Since the 2023 attack \u2013 in which Hamas militants killed about 1,200 Israelis and 250 people were taken hostage, in what is considered the single deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust \u2013 there has been a near breakdown in ties between the Israeli government and federal Labor.<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s response to the attack and bombardment of Gaza has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians.<\/a><\/p>\n Australia has joined other countries in taking an increasingly stronger stance against Israel, including action alongside the UK, Canada and New Zealand to sanction Israeli politicians Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, accusing the two of inciting violence against Palestinians.<\/p>\n But the federal government last month stopped short <\/a>of joining the UK and other partners in imposing a ban on goods from illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.<\/p>\n Relations deteriorated further when Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom was killed in a humanitarian convoy struck by Israeli drones in April 2024. Albanese and Wong slammed a decision by the Israel Defense Forces in August not to pursue criminal proceedings over Frankcom\u2019s death.<\/p>\n Pressed on Israel\u2019s failure to release audio from the strike, Newman stressed it was an issue for the Israeli military, but that his country remained open to any request for potential reparations for Frankcom\u2019s family and remained in favour of continued discussions.<\/p>\n Hillel Newman pictured outside Parliament House in Canberra on 20 August. Photograph: Lukas Coch\/AAP<\/p>\n Wong has been working with the Frankcom family on an appropriate response to the decision not to press criminal charges.<\/p>\n She said in a statement that the Australian government had condemned the Israeli government\u2019s decision not to pursue criminal proceedings against those responsible for killing Frankcom and her World Central Kitchen colleagues.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Australian government will not stop pressing Israel for justice for Zomi and her colleagues. We continue to engage closely with the Frankcom family on further action,\u201d Wong said. <\/p>\n \u201c7 October is a day of profound grief and remembrance. We mourn those who were killed in the Hamas terrorist attacks, including Australian Galit Carbone, and all those who have suffered from antisemitic violence around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n The Australia Palestine<\/a> Advocacy Network president, Nasser Mashni, said the impact from three years\u2019 of war was measured in two places at once: Gaza and in the diaspora.<\/p>\n \u201cIn Australia, the impact is a quieter but a relentless erosion of our place in this country,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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