Britain expels Israeli diplomat over forgery of UK passports

The UK government has expelled an unnamed Israeli diplomat after a probe concluded that the Mossad, or another Israeli spy agency, forged British passports used by the killers of Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai. In a statement to the House of Commons, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said there were “compelling reasons to believe” that Israel was responsible for the misuse of the passports and added these actions had been "intolerable" and represented a “profound disregard for the sovereignty of the United Kingdom.”

The UK Foreign Office warned on its website of the "possibility that your passport details could be captured for improper uses while your passport is out of your control."

Miliband told the House of Commons: “Such misuse of British passports is intolerable. The fact that this was done by a country which is a friend only adds insult to injury.” He demanded that Israel give assurances that British citizens would never again be drawn into such an operation. Miliband said the 12 Britons whose passports had been faked were “wholly innocent victims.”

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said on its website that Britons traveling to, and in, Israel should “only hand their passports over to third parties including Israeli officials when absolutely necessary”.

Expelling a foreign official is considered one of the most serious diplomatic sanctions that can be taken against another country. Israeli and British media reported the expelled diplomat was a senior officer of the Mossad. Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said his opposition Conservative Party fully agreed with the measure taken against Israel by the government.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said he was “very disappointed” by the expulsion, but Israeli officials said the government would not retaliate against Britain for expelling one of its diplomats in London, but instead replace the person in question soon.

The killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh has been widely blamed on Israel, which has declined to comment on the affair. According to Dubai police, the suspects used the identities of 12 Britons, as well as fake Australian, French, German and Irish passports. Interpol has issued red notices for the arrest of 27 suspects wanted by Dubai authorities in connection with the killing. Many of the forged passports bore the names of Israelis of dual nationality who appear to have been the victims of identity theft.


Watch an excerpt of Foreign Secretary David Miliband’s statement to the House of Commons here.