← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Julian the Apostate
Thread ID: 16594 | Posts: 1 | Started: 2005-02-04
2005-02-04 23:55 | User Profile
[url]http://www.smh.com.au/news/Middle-East-Conflict/Expulsion-of-Israeli-envoy-covered-up/2005/02/04/1107476807834.html[/url]
Expulsion of Israeli envoy covered up By Ed O'Loughlin Herald Correspondent in Jerusalem, Jonathan Pearlman and Cynthia Banham February 5, 2005
Australia has secretly forced a senior Israeli diplomat to leave the country, for reasons that neither government will divulge.
The effective expulsion of the Canberra-based diplomat - described as a "consul" in Israel - has been covered up for several weeks. It was revealed in an Israeli newspaper, Ma'ariv, but inquiries about the story last night were met by a wall of "no comments" from the Australian Government.
The newspaper speculated there might be some connection with last year's scandal in which two alleged agents of the Israeli spy service, Mossad, were arrested in New Zealand after they were caught trying to fraudulently obtain passports.
A source close to the Israeli cabinet told the Herald the reason for the effective expulsion must be serious, given the friendly relations between the two countries and the scheduled tour of Australia by the Israeli President, Moshe Katsav, early next month.
According to the Ma'ariv report, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade summoned a senior embassy official to a meeting at which it requested the immediate recall of the consul. If Israel did not withdraw its diplomat voluntarily, steps would be taken to declare him persona non grata and to initiate proceedings for his deportation.
In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry instructed the diplomat to pack his bags and return home immediately - before the affair burgeoned into a full-blown diplomatic crisis.
Australia has become increasingly close to Israel in recent years. Last year it was the only country, apart from two tiny Pacific states, to vote with Israel and the US against a United Nations resolution on Israel's controversial security barrier in the occupied West Bank.
Mossad agents have previously been caught using Canadian passports to secure entry to Jordan, where they were allegedly attempting to stage an assassination. New Zealand passports are in high demand throughout the world because they are usually accepted without the need for a visa.
New Zealand has demanded an apology from Israel but is yet to receive one. Israel has denied any involvement in the passport affair.