Apology from Israel but no comment on spy allegations

By FRAN O'SULLIVAN

JERUSALEM - Contrite Israeli officials last night apologised to New Zealand over the passport fraud case and declared that Jerusalem wanted to restore relations as quickly as possible.

Israel's Foreign Minister, Silvan Shalom, said: "We are sorry about this matter. It will be dealt with and all will be done to restore Israel's long history of good relations with New Zealand to their previous correct ties."

Mr Shalom did not confirm or deny that the two convicted Israelis were Mossad agents.

Nor did he address the charges made by Helen Clark that Israel had breached New Zealand's sovereignty and international law.

Michael Ronen, of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: "It's a very sad day for us - we hope that we will be given the chance to heal the wounds in the very near future.

"This declaration is a very strong one but it's not irreversible - it [the statement] will not be ignored. The relationship with New Zealand is very important to us."

The Jerusalem Post quoted a former director-general of the ministry, Alon Li'el, as saying Mossad was damaging "Israel's foreign relations image, and this is far worse than the bilateral damage caused to our relations with New Zealand.

"No country likes its sovereignty infringed upon. The problem is that the Mossad doesn't seem to be learning from its mistakes, and lately there have been too many of these."

Mr Ronen, who is director of the ministry's Pacific department, said he felt wounded by the diplomatic sanctions.

"It is a sad day for relations between the two countries."

Israel had not expected the Prime Minister's statement to be so strong, he said.

"We don't want to respond with harsh words. We want to get the relationship back as soon as possible."

He called Helen Clark's declaration "one of the lowest points in our relationship".

"From here I would like to prevent further deterioration in the relations and move quickly and see how from such a low point we can get back as soon as possible to good relations."

Asked about the Government's description of the men as intelligence agents, Mr Ronen said: "I do not know. The two Israeli citizens were processed on the criminal law. I understood they have admitted committing their crimes.

"I can see their lawyer denied any involvement by any organisation - I don't have a reason to go and say the other way round.

"Of course this declaration is a political one - we will have to address it - without mixing between the judicial processes and our responsibility to maintain good relations."