Published today (updated) 24/05/2010 14:58 Jerusalem - Ma'an/Agencies -

Australia has expelled an Israeli occupation government diplomat after a probe revealed Israel was behind the forging of four Australian passports linked to the assassination of a Palestinian Hamas leader in Dubai, various media outlets reported Monday.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told parliament that Israel's conduct was "not the actions of a friend," the British Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Investigations into the assassination of Mahmoud Mabhouh in January 2010 in a Dubai hotel room revealed the use of a whole host of European and international passports used by an alleged Mossad hit squad. At least four fake Australian passports are known to have been used in the incident.

The originals reportedly belonged to Australians living in Israel, with Australia deciding to hold Israel responsible for the forgeries, the BBC wrote.

Following an investigation by the Australian Federal Police, which visited Israel as part of its inquiries, the government was left in no doubt that Israel was behind what it called "the abuse and counterfeiting of the passports," according to the British news site.

"The decision to ask Israel to remove from Australia one of its officers at the Israeli embassy in Canberra is not something which fills the Australian government with any joy," the foreign minister said.

"On the contrary, the decision was made much more in sorrow than in anger."

In March, Britain expelled an Israeli diplomat over the use of forged passports by suspected Israeli agents, noting that it was not the first occassion during which UK passports had been used in Israeli assassination plots. At the time, Britain had received a promise from Israel that a similar incident involving forged passports would not reoccur.

Meanwhile, Dubai police investigations revealed that one genuine British passport was used by a suspect in Mabhouh's killing. The British government responded by saying, "We’re very concerned that someone who has possession of what appears to be a genuine British passport may have been involved in some way with the killing of Al Mabhouh. We cannot rule out the possibility that the passport was obtained by deception," British consulate spokesman in East Jerusalem Fadi Adeeb told Ma'an.

The British government is providing its full assistance to the Emirati authorities in their investigation, Adeeb added.

Abu Zuhri asks Australia to prosecute assassins of Mabhouh

[ 24/05/2010 - 11:24 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said that the Australian expulsion of an Israeli diplomat from his embassy in Canberra was an additional proof that the Israeli occupation government was involved in the assassination crime of Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh in Dubai.

Abu Zuhri told the PIC on Monday that the Australian step was not enough and that it should prosecute the killers of Mabhouh.

The spokesman said that the step also indicated that countries around the world were realizing the danger of the "Zionist entity" on the world security and that it was directly responsible for that crime.

The Australian foreign ministry ordered the expulsion of an Israeli diplomat over his government's use of forged Australian passports in Mabhouh's murder.

It said in a statement on Monday that the step would materialize within a week, adding that investigations proved Israel's involvement in the forgery of Australian passports.

Britain took a similar step two months ago and expelled an Israeli diplomat after evidence showed Israel's involvement in forging British passports and using them in the assassination crime.