By the CNN Wire Staff
Melbourne, Australia (CNN) -- Australia on Monday said it was expelling an Israeli diplomat over fake passports used in the assassination of a top Hamas operative in the United Arab Emirates.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said an investigation had confirmed that Israeli agents were behind the forgery of Australian passports used in the January 20 killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a founding member of Hamas' military wing.
The four Australians identified on the passports had nothing to do with the killing, he said.
Smith did not name the diplomat Australia wants expelled from the Israeli mission in Canberra, but said the diplomat has to leave within the week. He briefed parliament on the results of the investigation Monday morning and said the forgeries were so sophisticated, only a state intelligence service could have carried them out.
"We regret the Australian decision, which is is not in line with the quality and the importance of our relationship," said Yigal Palmor, a spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Link
