New Zealand has suspended its diplomatic ties with Israel following the jailing of two suspected Israeli spies in Auckland on Thursday.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said there are strong reasons to believe the men were acting on behalf of Israel’s intelligence service Mossad, adding that the case was ”far more than simple criminal behaviour by two individuals”.
On Thursday Clark announced that the approval for a new Israeli ambassador would be delayed, a request for Israeli President Moshe Katsav to visit was being declined and the visa free entry status of Israeli officials had been suspended.
The Israeli foreign ministry expressed sorrow over the situation in which the ”friendly” relations between Israel and New Zealand have become entangled.
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said that Israel regretted New Zealand’s reaction and believed the situation can be rectified.
”Israel will do what it can to restore its relations with New Zealand,” Israel Radio quoted him as telling reporters in Tel Aviv.
Earlier on Thursday, the alleged spies, Eli Cara, 50, and Urie Kelman, 30, were each jailed for six months for taking part in a conspiracy to illegally obtain a New Zealand passport.
The New Zealand government is viewing the crime as not only ”utterly unacceptable” but also as a ”breach of New Zealand sovereignty and international law”.
”The Israeli agents attempted to demean the integrity of the New Zealand passport system and could have created considerable difficulties for New Zealanders presenting their passports overseas in the future.
”New Zealand condemns without reservation these actions by agencies of the Israel government. The Israel government was asked for an explanation and an apology three months ago. Neither has been received,” Clark said.
The proposed year long sentence was reduced by the judge by six months on condition that they each pay $32 500 to a charity that assists cerebral palsy sufferers.
The name of a cerebral palsy victim had been used on the bogus passport application that formed part of the conspiracy.
Under New Zealand law the convicted men must serve half their sentence in jail before being eligible for parole.
Their lawyer, Stuart Grieve, said the pair had undertaken to leave New Zealand immediately once they were released.
He said the pair denied being spies but the publicity about their case meant the men and their families were now targets for international terrorists.
Clark said New Zealand would not entertain any approach from Israel to interfere in the sentences of the men. — Sapa