New Zealand rejects Israeli apology on alleged Mossad agents

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New Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark said Monday that Israel conveyed its apology via Wellington's ambassador to Turkey, but said the tone of the apology was feeble and unacceptable. Israel is seeking to end the diplomatic crisis in order to accommodate a visit to New Zealand by President Moshe Katsav, as part of his trip to Australia next month.

Elisha Kara and Uriel Kalman were arrested in New Zealand in March 2004. The two were tried, convicted and sentenced to six months in jail and fined 50,000 New Zealand Dollars. They were released three months later, and deported to Israel.

Government sources in Wellington said that Israel?s apology consisted of nothing but a general expression of sorrow. The sources stressed that Israel?s apology did not meet New Zealand?s demands, that Israel must clarify what the alleged agents were planning to do with the passport, to reveal whether passports were obtained fraudulently in the past, and to commit that no such activities will not be repeated.

Haaretz