Foreign Minister Murray McCully should press Israel over its use of foreign passports in covert operations when he arrives there tonight, Green MP Keith Locke said today.
Mr McCully arrives in Israel as it deals with the fallout of the assassination of a Hamas leader in Dubai by suspected Mossad agents.
The passports of a number of different nationals were used in the operation, including three from Australia.
"I believe our Foreign Minister is obliged to use his meetings in Israel to raise the issue of Israel's apparently extensive use of fraudulent foreign passports, particularly as two Mossad agents were caught trying to obtain fake New Zealand passports in 2004," Mr Locke said.
"Mr McCully would be letting down Australia if he didn't bring up this serious matter with his Israeli hosts."
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has spoken out strongly about the use of the Australian passports went to the integrity and fabric of the use of state documents and using the passports was treating Australia with contempt.
Mr Locke said the use of Australian passports also had implications for New Zealand.
"Any forging of Australian passports also has a direct impact on New Zealand, given the free flow of people between our two countries.
"Ironically, the signing of a reciprocal holiday agreement with Israel could make it easier for Israel to forge the New Zealand passports, because the consequence will be a larger pool of New Zealanders residing in Israel, even if only temporarily. That is another reason for Murray McCully to raise the issue in Tel Aviv," Mr Locke said.
