Britain Boots Israeli Diplomat Over Fake Passport Scandal

Posted on Mar 23, 2010

AP / Dubai Ruler's Media Office

The Dubai Ruler’s Media Office released these photos of 11 of 27 suspects wanted in connection with the killing of Hamas leader Mahmud al-Mabhuh in his Dubai hotel room in January.

An Israeli diplomat is packing his bags and leaving the United Kingdom in the wake of the forged-passport scandal that allowed a group of assassins to carry out their hit on a top Hamas official in Dubai two months ago.  —KA

The diplomat has been reported to be Israel’s top Mossad officer in the country.

Correction: An earlier version of this post incorrectly identified the expelled diplomat as Ambassador Ron Prosor. His job is safe, though he was “disappointed” by the news.

BBC:

Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the Commons there were “compelling reasons” to believe Israel was responsible for the passport “misuse”.

[...] It is believed 12 fake British passports were used in the plot to murder Mr Mabhouh - the founder of Hamas’s military wing - in his hotel room in Dubai on 19 January.

The names and details on the UK passports used by eight of the 12 suspects belonged to British-Israeli citizens living in Israel - all of whom have denied involvement in Mr Mabhouh’s murder.

Their passports had been copied and new photographs inserted.

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