Tweet
Israel warned before on faking passport: diplomat
Cameron Stewart From: The Australian February 27, 2010 12:00AM
A FORMER Australian ambassador to Israel has revealed that he warned the Israeli government not to fake Australian passports for intelligence operations.
Ian Wilcock, who was Australia's ambassador in Israel from 1997 to 1999, has told The Weekend Australian that he met Israeli Foreign Ministry officials in Jerusalem twice during his posting to convey to them strong concerns about the potential abuse of Australian passports by Israeli intelligence.
"I can confirm there have been past approaches to the Israelis on the possible abuse of Australian passports," Mr Wilcock said yesterday.
"The abuse of such a fundamental Australian document is completely unacceptable.
"We had concerns at the time about the abuse of the passports of a third country, so I met senior officials in the foreign ministry in Jerusalem and we put our concerns very strongly about the potential for this being done to Australian passports."
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
Related Coverage
JEWISH LEADERS: No hard evidence of Israeli hand
MALCOLM FRASER: Holocaust no excuse for murder
JOHN LYONS: Locals accept murder was Mossad operation End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
Mr Wilcock's comments support assertions made this week by former foreign minister Alexander Downer, who said the Howard government had raised the issue with the Israeli government.
The Rudd government has demanded answers from Israel about its suspected role in backing the theft of three Australian citizens' identities by its spy agency, Mossad, to carry out a political assassination.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has warned that Israel's standing as a friend would be jeopardised if it were found to have sponsored the doctoring of Australian passports.
Britain, France, Ireland and Germany have also called on Israel to explain why the identities of their citizens were stolen as part of the 26-person hit-squad that suffocated Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in his Dubai hotel room.
Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin said yesterday his government was "very angry" over the suspected use of forged Irish passports by the assassins.
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has said there is no evidence to link his country to the killing.
Like his assassins, who wore tennis clothes and designer suits to blend it with hotel guests, the victim himself kept a series of fake passports and disguises including coloured contact lenses to protect himself.
It was reported yesterday that the passport photographs of the agents who assassinated Mabhouh were doctored so the agents would not be identified.
According to Israel's Haaretz newspaper, the features of the people in the photographs, such as eye colour, or the line of a lip, were altered slightly so as not arouse suspicion at passport control, but still enough that the real agent could not be recognised.
Australian Jewish community leaders refused to condemn Israel, saying evidence of its alleged involvement in the assassination was inconclusive and unproven.
Mr Wilcock declined to comment on the Israeli response to his warning.
But diplomatic sources say Israeli officials had given no promises and had appeared to be offended by the suggestion they might abuse the identity of Australian citizens.
The former ambassador said the willingness of Israelis to go to such extremes reflected their deep fears about national security.
"It is important to understand the psychology of Israelis in dealing with national security threats,' he said.
"The Holocaust may be old news to a great part of the world but it is a living and deeply painful memory to Israelis and to Jews everywhere. Israel will never leave the security of the country to others. The belief is Jews must be able to look after themselves."
Israel warned before on faking passport: diplomat | The Australian
Thanks for bringing any Australian travelling to an Arab country under suspicion that they could be a Mossad agent Israel. This is a real show of gratitude to a nation that has been a long term staunch supporter of your state, including through actions like this.
"UK Special Air Service units, backed by Royal Marines of 45 Commando, are in the vanguard of a free-wheeling war in the Iraqi western desert - along with a squadron from Australia's Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) and US special operations forces - to neutralise any 'Scud' missile batteries threatening Israel. One officer has called western Iraq a "special forces playground"."
Iraq's western desert a 'special forces playground' - Jane's Defence News
Cameron Stewart From: The Australian February 27, 2010 12:00AM
A FORMER Australian ambassador to Israel has revealed that he warned the Israeli government not to fake Australian passports for intelligence operations.
Ian Wilcock, who was Australia's ambassador in Israel from 1997 to 1999, has told The Weekend Australian that he met Israeli Foreign Ministry officials in Jerusalem twice during his posting to convey to them strong concerns about the potential abuse of Australian passports by Israeli intelligence.
"I can confirm there have been past approaches to the Israelis on the possible abuse of Australian passports," Mr Wilcock said yesterday.
"The abuse of such a fundamental Australian document is completely unacceptable.
"We had concerns at the time about the abuse of the passports of a third country, so I met senior officials in the foreign ministry in Jerusalem and we put our concerns very strongly about the potential for this being done to Australian passports."
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
Related Coverage
JEWISH LEADERS: No hard evidence of Israeli hand
MALCOLM FRASER: Holocaust no excuse for murder
JOHN LYONS: Locals accept murder was Mossad operation End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
Mr Wilcock's comments support assertions made this week by former foreign minister Alexander Downer, who said the Howard government had raised the issue with the Israeli government.
The Rudd government has demanded answers from Israel about its suspected role in backing the theft of three Australian citizens' identities by its spy agency, Mossad, to carry out a political assassination.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has warned that Israel's standing as a friend would be jeopardised if it were found to have sponsored the doctoring of Australian passports.
Britain, France, Ireland and Germany have also called on Israel to explain why the identities of their citizens were stolen as part of the 26-person hit-squad that suffocated Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in his Dubai hotel room.
Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin said yesterday his government was "very angry" over the suspected use of forged Irish passports by the assassins.
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has said there is no evidence to link his country to the killing.
Like his assassins, who wore tennis clothes and designer suits to blend it with hotel guests, the victim himself kept a series of fake passports and disguises including coloured contact lenses to protect himself.
It was reported yesterday that the passport photographs of the agents who assassinated Mabhouh were doctored so the agents would not be identified.
According to Israel's Haaretz newspaper, the features of the people in the photographs, such as eye colour, or the line of a lip, were altered slightly so as not arouse suspicion at passport control, but still enough that the real agent could not be recognised.
Australian Jewish community leaders refused to condemn Israel, saying evidence of its alleged involvement in the assassination was inconclusive and unproven.
Mr Wilcock declined to comment on the Israeli response to his warning.
But diplomatic sources say Israeli officials had given no promises and had appeared to be offended by the suggestion they might abuse the identity of Australian citizens.
The former ambassador said the willingness of Israelis to go to such extremes reflected their deep fears about national security.
"It is important to understand the psychology of Israelis in dealing with national security threats,' he said.
"The Holocaust may be old news to a great part of the world but it is a living and deeply painful memory to Israelis and to Jews everywhere. Israel will never leave the security of the country to others. The belief is Jews must be able to look after themselves."
Israel warned before on faking passport: diplomat | The Australian
Thanks for bringing any Australian travelling to an Arab country under suspicion that they could be a Mossad agent Israel. This is a real show of gratitude to a nation that has been a long term staunch supporter of your state, including through actions like this.
"UK Special Air Service units, backed by Royal Marines of 45 Commando, are in the vanguard of a free-wheeling war in the Iraqi western desert - along with a squadron from Australia's Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) and US special operations forces - to neutralise any 'Scud' missile batteries threatening Israel. One officer has called western Iraq a "special forces playground"."
Iraq's western desert a 'special forces playground' - Jane's Defence News
Comment