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| Britain to expel Israeli diplomat | Britain to expel Israeli diplomat |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The UK is to expel an Israeli diplomat over the use of 12 forged British passports by the killers of a Hamas leader in Dubai, the BBC has learned. | |
| Foreign Secretary David Miliband will make a statement to Parliament later. | Foreign Secretary David Miliband will make a statement to Parliament later. |
| Israel has said there is no proof that its agents were behind the killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai in January. | Israel has said there is no proof that its agents were behind the killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai in January. |
| BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen said the person to be expelled is likely to be the London head of Israel's secret service, Mossad. | BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen said the person to be expelled is likely to be the London head of Israel's secret service, Mossad. |
| Strong message | Strong message |
| Diplomatic sources stressed the British government has stopped short of accusing Israel of the murder. | Diplomatic sources stressed the British government has stopped short of accusing Israel of the murder. |
| However Mr Miliband has previously demanded that Israel co-operate fully with the investigation into how the passports were obtained. | |
| The foreign secretary is to make the statement after Britain's Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) found proof of the cloned passports. | |
| It is a very big step for a government Jeremy BowenBBC Middle East editor Expulsion 'a strong signal' | It is a very big step for a government Jeremy BowenBBC Middle East editor Expulsion 'a strong signal' |
| Soca agents had travelled to Israel to speak to those whose passports were copied with new photographs inserted. | |
| The BBC's Jeremy Bowen said the expulsion would send a "very clear message" of British disapproval. | The BBC's Jeremy Bowen said the expulsion would send a "very clear message" of British disapproval. |
| "It is a very big step for a government like the British to expel one of the diplomats belonging to one of its important allies," he said. | "It is a very big step for a government like the British to expel one of the diplomats belonging to one of its important allies," he said. |
| The head of Britain's diplomatic service, Peter Ricketts, met Israel's ambassador to London, Ron Prosor, on Monday, Downing Street has confirmed. He was also summoned last month. | The head of Britain's diplomatic service, Peter Ricketts, met Israel's ambassador to London, Ron Prosor, on Monday, Downing Street has confirmed. He was also summoned last month. |
| But Mr Prosor will not be the diplomat to be expelled. | But Mr Prosor will not be the diplomat to be expelled. |
| Former Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Menzies Campbell, said for a diplomat to be expelled, Israel must have had "some hand" in the matter, or been unwilling to co-operate with Soca. | |
| He told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme: "It is very serious indeed... there can't be a greater violation of trust for one ally to abuse the passports of another ally." | |
| ANALYSIS | ANALYSIS |
| Tim Franks, BBC News, Jerusalem | Tim Franks, BBC News, Jerusalem |
| In the land where they love to talk, Israeli officials are staying remarkably tight-lipped. At least until David Miliband speaks. | In the land where they love to talk, Israeli officials are staying remarkably tight-lipped. At least until David Miliband speaks. |
| "It doesn't look good," was the terse verdict of one former senior diplomat, before he decided it would be better if he said no more. Other sources suggest that this is a "standard dance" the British have to go through. They expected that the UK would not want this to be an "ongoing irritant". | "It doesn't look good," was the terse verdict of one former senior diplomat, before he decided it would be better if he said no more. Other sources suggest that this is a "standard dance" the British have to go through. They expected that the UK would not want this to be an "ongoing irritant". |
| There is a clear Israeli desire to talk this argument down from one where it could damage the wider relationship. | There is a clear Israeli desire to talk this argument down from one where it could damage the wider relationship. |
| As for the more general Israeli view, that is mixed. Many believe that there is a measure of slightly unconvincing righteous indignation from the countries whose nationals had their passports cloned. Those Israelis argue that Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was as much an enemy of the West, as of Israel. | As for the more general Israeli view, that is mixed. Many believe that there is a measure of slightly unconvincing righteous indignation from the countries whose nationals had their passports cloned. Those Israelis argue that Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was as much an enemy of the West, as of Israel. |
| But there are a good number of Israelis who also believe this was a cack-handed operation, which blew the identities of 27 valuable agents, and caused an unnecessary diplomatic stink. | But there are a good number of Israelis who also believe this was a cack-handed operation, which blew the identities of 27 valuable agents, and caused an unnecessary diplomatic stink. |
| Last month Mr Miliband described the use of fake UK passports as an "outrage" and vowed that the inquiry would "get to the bottom" of the affair. | |
| Twelve fake British passports were used in the plot to murder Mr Mabhouh - the founder of Hamas's military wing - in his hotel room in Dubai on 19 January. | |
| The names and details on the UK passports used by eight of the 12 suspects belonged to British-Israeli citizens living in Israel. All of them have denied involvement. | |
| Dubai officials said they were "99% certain" that agents from Mossad were behind the killing but Israel has said there is no proof. | Dubai officials said they were "99% certain" that agents from Mossad were behind the killing but Israel has said there is no proof. |
| Other members of the hit squad travelled on fake Irish, French and Australian travel documents, Dubai police said. | Other members of the hit squad travelled on fake Irish, French and Australian travel documents, Dubai police said. |
| Following his death, Mr Mabhouh's family said medical teams that examined him determined he had died after receiving a massive electric shock to the head. They also found evidence that he had been strangled. | Following his death, Mr Mabhouh's family said medical teams that examined him determined he had died after receiving a massive electric shock to the head. They also found evidence that he had been strangled. |
| Blood samples sent to a French laboratory confirmed he was killed by electric shock, after which the body was sent to Syria, they said. | Blood samples sent to a French laboratory confirmed he was killed by electric shock, after which the body was sent to Syria, they said. |
| Dubai police have used CCTV footage to identify 27 alleged members of the team that tracked and killed Mr Mabhouh. | Dubai police have used CCTV footage to identify 27 alleged members of the team that tracked and killed Mr Mabhouh. |
| Thousands of people attended his funeral at the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp, on the outskirts of Damascus in January. | Thousands of people attended his funeral at the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp, on the outskirts of Damascus in January. |
| A Foreign Office spokeswoman said Mr Miliband would make a statement to the House of the Commons at 1530 GMT. | A Foreign Office spokeswoman said Mr Miliband would make a statement to the House of the Commons at 1530 GMT. |
| In 1988 Britain expelled Israeli diplomat Arie Regev over a spying row. He was described by UK sources as a Mossad agent. | In 1988 Britain expelled Israeli diplomat Arie Regev over a spying row. He was described by UK sources as a Mossad agent. |
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| CCTV footage of the hit squad suspects in a Dubai hotel released in February |