Truthdig
May 5, 2010
The United Kingdom will not allow an official representative of Israel’s security services into the country, according to an Israeli report, until Israel promises, in writing, not to abuse British passports. Israel has so far refused, the report said.
The previous Mossad representative was expelled after British passports were reportedly used by Israeli agents to carry out an assassination in Dubai.
Ynet News via the Guardian:
UK ‘blocking’ Mossad return to London
Official reportedly prevented from taking up embassy post after Israel refuses to commit itself not to misuse British passports
Ian Black, Middle East editor
The Guardian, Wednesday 5 May 2010
Britain has refused to allow Israel’s Mossad secret service to send a representative back to the country’s London embassy following the row over the killing of a Hamas operative by agents using forged UK passports.
Israel’s Yediot Aharonot newspaper reported yesterday that the Foreign Office is digging in its heels because Israel is refusing to commit itself not to misuse British passports in future clandestine operations.
Neither Britain nor Israel gave any details of the embassy official who was ordered to leave the country in March after an investigation by the Serious Organised Crime Agency showed that the Mossad was behind the passport theft.
But the official was understood to be an intelligence officer who was known to the UK authorities and worked as official liaison with Britain’s MI6. There was no suggestion the officer was personally involved in the passports affair.