LONDON – Britain will not allow a new Mossad representative into the country until Israel can provide a number of assurances that it hopes will help rebuild trust following the recent Dubai passport saga.
“We have had no approach from the Israelis about a replacement,” a Foreign Office spokesperson said on Tuesday. “However we look to Israel to rebuild the trust we believe is required for the full and open relationship we would like.”
Britain is insisting that Israel give “specific assurances,” which are said to include the pledge that British passports will not be used again by Israel in its operations, before a new Mossad representative is allowed into the UK.
“We have asked for specific assurances from Israel, which would clearly
be a positive step toward rebuilding that trust. Any Israeli request
for the diplomat to be replaced would be considered against the context
of these UK requests,” the Foreign Office said.
Israel is concerned that if it were to make an assurance not to use
British passports, it would be interpreted as a confession of having
used forged passports in the assassination of Hamas commander Mahmoud
al-Mabhouh in Dubai in January.
In the aftermath of the incident, a Mossad representative in London was expelled following allegations to that effect.
Britain’s Foreign Minister David Miliband said at the time that there
were “compelling reasons” to believe Israel was behind the killing and
ordered the senior diplomat to leave the country.
|