Israeli diplomat expelled

[shaayecanaan]

Australia's relations with Israel have hit a new low, with the Rudd Government expelling an Israeli diplomat over the fake passports affair.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Stephen Smith, told Parliament today that inquiries by Australian intelligence agencies into the use of fake Australian passports in Dubai had concluded the fakes were the work of a state intelligence agency.

Mr Smith said this led to the conclusion there was no doubt Israel was responsible.

"No government can tolerate the abuse of its passports, especially by a foreign government," he said. "This represents a clear affront to the security of our passport system."

(snip)

On relations with Israel, Mr Smith said: “We do not regard these actions as the actions of a friend.”

But Mr Smith qualified his attack on Israel, adding, “We are a firm friend of Israel. We regret very much that this incident has occurred.”

(snip)

Questioned on whether the officer expelled from Australia was a member of Mossad, Mr Smith said: “I’m not proposing to identify that particular person". However, he appeared to keep open such a possibility by adding, “Our response on any measure is comparable to the British response.”

Mr Smith said the abuse of Australia's passports was not what Australia expected from a nation with which it had had such a close and friendly relationship.

Israel's ambassador is overseas until June 8, but the Israeli embassy in Canberra has declined to comment until later today.

edited to add link:- http://www.smh.com.au/national/israel-responsible-for-faking-aussie-passports-diplomat-expelled-smith-20100524-w5a3.html

[RandomThoughts]

1. On a side note, I think it would be interesting to have a full public disclosure of all intelligence

members, and all their assets, including of coarse all assets and members of every other secret intelligence agencies, not just mossad.

I think it would be quiet an interesting list for the populations of the world to know every person that had signed up to work for any of the many intelligence agencies around the world.

[proteus_lives]

5. That would get a lot of people killed.

[PDJane]

2. Israel does this quite often............

they've done it with our passports too. They seem to really like passports from commonwealth countries......

[shaayecanaan]

3. They're good door slammers...

A Canadian, New Zealand or Australian passport will get you into most places without too much trouble. They are, after all, politically benign places. Probably that is why they ought to be concerned since this is ultimately an attempt to trade on that benignity.

[PDJane]

4. True...........

but Commonwealth countries need visas to visit fewer places, that being one of the perks of being a Commonwealth country.