ZGram - July 15, 2004 - "New Zealand's admirable courage!"

[zgrams at zgrams.zundelsite.org]

ZGram - Where Truth is Destiny:  Now more than ever!

July 15, 2004

Good Morning from the Zundelsite:

This just came in - a remarkable story!  Canada could  learn 
something from New Zealand - remember all the fake Israeli passports 
that originated out of Canada?


[START]

The New Zealand government views the act carried out by the Israeli 
intelligence agents as not only utterly unacceptable but also a 
breach of New Zealand sovereignty and international law
Helen Clark
New Zealand Prime Minister

New Zealand jails Israeli 'spies'

New Zealand has imposed diplomatic sanctions on Israel over the 
activities of two alleged members of the Israeli intelligence agency, 
Mossad.

The Israelis were sentenced to six months in prison for trying to 
obtain New Zealand passports illegally.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said that such acts by what she called 
Israeli government agencies were a violation of New Zealand 
sovereignty.

The Israelis, Uriel Zosha Kelman and Eli Cara, deny working for Mossad.

They did plead guilty to attempting to gain New Zealand passports 
illegally and working with organised criminal gangs.

In a statement to the Auckland court trying the men, Ms Clark said 
she would suspend government visits to Israel, Israeli officials 
would need visas to enter New Zealand and foreign ministry contacts 
would be suspended.

Her government is also planning to refuse any request for Israel's 
President, Moshe Katsav, to visit next month when he is due in 
Australia and delay its approval for the appointment of a new Israeli 
ambassador to New Zealand.

Apology demanded

Ms Clark said she had no doubt the two men were Israeli intelligence 
agents and that the case was "far more than simple criminal behaviour 
by two individuals".

She said the case had "seriously strained our relationship" with 
Israel. New Zealand had asked Israel for an explanation and an 
apology, but had received neither.

An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman said he was sure that Israel 
could repair the diplomatic damage and re-establish good relations 
with New Zealand, but did not specify how the Israeli government 
would go about it.

A BBC correspondent in Jerusalem, David Chazan, says Israeli 
officials give the impression of regarding as a relatively 
unimportant country. Sources close to the government say the Israeli 
reaction might have been different if a larger and more influential 
country had been involved.

The two Israelis were arrested in March after they tried to collect a 
passport in the name of a New Zealand national who is a 
wheelchair-bound cerebral palsy victim.

Trying to obtain a passport fraudulently carries a maximum penalty of 
five years' imprisonment in New Zealand.

News agency reports say the two Israelis received lighter sentences 
because they pleaded guilty and because they pledged to donate 
$32,700 to a local charity.


(Source:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3896009.stm )


[END]