UK expels Israeli in passports row

A senior Mossad official is believed to have been ordered to leave Britain after a probe concluded that Israel forged UK passports used by the alleged killers of a Hamas commander.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband announced that a diplomat was being expelled yesterday as he condemned Tel Aviv’s “intolerable” actions in cloning documents allegedly carried by the hit squad that assassinated Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.

He said the misuse of the passports put British nationals in the Middle East at risk, and the fact that Israel was a close ally only added “insult to injury”.

Twelve British passports were used by people allegedly involved in the killing of al-Mabhouh, the founder of Hamas’s military wing, in his luxury hotel room in Dubai on January 19. Dubai officials are “99% certain” that agents from the Israeli secret service Mossad were behind the murder, but Tel Aviv refused to confirm or deny the link.

Mr Miliband told MPs an investigation by Britain’s Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) uncovered “compelling” evidence that Israel was responsible for cloning the British passports. He said: “The Government takes this matter extremely seriously. Such misuse of British passports is intolerable. It presents a hazard for the safety of British nationals in the region.

“It also represents a profound disregard for the sovereignty of the United Kingdom. The fact that this was done by a country which is a friend, with significant diplomatic, cultural, business and personal ties to the UK, only adds insult to injury. No country or Government could stand by in such a situation.”

He added: “I have asked that a member of the embassy of Israel be withdrawn, and this is taking place.”

Israel’s ambassador to London, Ron Prosor, said he was “disappointed” by Britain’s response but stressed that the relationship between Israel and the UK was of “mutual importance”. He told reporters outside the Israeli embassy: “It is our clear intention to strengthen the firm foundation of our relationship which is both vital and beneficial to both our countries.”

Mr Miliband stressed that Britain had no advance knowledge of the killing of al-Mabhouh and no involvement “whatsoever” in it. Eleven of the 12 innocent British nationals affected have now been given biometric passports which would be harder to counterfeit.

Source: Press Association