Israeli diplomat expelled over fake passport affair
Controversial: several fake Australian passports were used in the assassination in Dubai
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The Federal Government is expelling an Israeli diplomat after it found Israel faked Australian passports which were used in a hit on a top Hamas commander in Dubai.
Making a statement to Parliament, Foreign Minister Stephen says investigations by Australian agencies show Israel fabricated the passports.
"These investigations and advice have left the Australian Government in no doubt that Israel was responsible for the abuse and counterfeiting of these passports," he said.
In February, several forged Australian passports were used in the hit on Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.
Nicole McCabe, Joshua Bruce, Adam Korman and Joshua Krycer have been named as the Australians whose passports were forged. All four live in Israel.
An Australian Federal Police (AFP) team travelled to Israel to investigate the matter.
Dubai authorities had said they were almost 100 per cent certain the Israeli spy agency, Mossad, was responsible for the hit and claimed the assassins also used Irish, French and German passports to travel through the state.
Israel has maintained there is no proof it was behind the assassination.
Earlier this year, Britain expelled an Israeli diplomat after an investigation by its Serious Organised Crime Agency found that 12 forged British passports used in the assassination were copied from real documents.
It said the copies were made after the passports were handed over for inspection "to individuals linked to Israel".
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