Israeli envoys' capital return

Foreign Minister Murray McCully welcomes the return of the Israeli embassy to Wellington which today holds its first national day celebration since reopening this month.

After an absence of eight years, the embassy has reopened in a high-rise building on The Terrace.

It is understood that Egypt, too, will open an embassy in Wellington.

During the absence of the Israeli embassy, there was a crisis and suspension of diplomatic relations in 2004 when two Israelis believed to be Mossad agents, Uriel Zoshe Kelman and Eli Cara, were caught in a New Zealand passport fraud.

They pleaded guilty, served two months in prison and were deported.

Mr McCully said National had had no issues with Labour's handling of the matter and had no wish to rehash it.

But he believed New Zealand had a "pro-Palestinian" view under Labour, as evidenced in votes at the United Nations.

Israeli diplomacy has been conducted from Canberra in the past eight years.

Australia is now is the midst of its own diplomatic upheavals with Israel and has ordered out a Canberra-based diplomat.