Ireland on Wednesday expelled an unnamed Israeli diplomat over the use of forged Irish passports by Israeli intelligence agents involved in the murder of a Hamas leader earlier this year.
The move followed an investigation which established that fake passports of eight Irish nationals were used by the hit squad that killed Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a leading Hamas figure, in a Dubai hotel in January.
Forged passports of several other European countries, including Britain, France and Germany, were also used in that operation.
Britain has already expelled an Israeli diplomat in connection with the scandal.
Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said an investigation had led to “inescapable conclusion” that an Israeli agency was responsible for the misuse and “most likely” the manufacture of the forged Irish passports associated with the murder.
“The misuse of Irish passports by a state with which Ireland enjoys friendly, if sometimes frank, bilateral relations is clearly unacceptable and requires a firm response,” he said.
He said allegations of terrorism had been made against Mr. Mabhouh but the Irish government “does not believe that states should fight terror with terror”.
“As a matter of principle, Ireland opposes extrajudicial killings. We believe that states have a duty to operate according to the law and to respect that way of life that terrorists seek to destroy,” said Mr. Martin.
Dubai police have claimed that they were “99 per cent” certain that Israeli agents were behind the murder but Israel says there is no evidence.
Israeli embassy in Dublin confirmed that its Ambassador Zion Evrony was called to the Irish office and informed of the decision but it said it did not believe the move would affect the “positive relations” between the two countries.
The move came as Germany sought extradition of a suspected Israeli agent held in Poland in connection with Mr. Mabhouh's death.
