London - The Palestinian Media Centre

Following confirmation that the Israeli intelligence service, Mossad, used British passports in the assassination of a Hamas official Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has decided to stop issuing or renewing British passports at its Consulate in Israel.

The Jerusalem Post reported that a spokesman for the British Consulate has confirmed the decision which will come into force on 3rd May. It also confirmed that requests for passport issues and renewals will be transferred by mail to the French capital, Paris.

It was reported that the British government decided to modify the procedure for travelling to Israel, and put up an update on their website along with advice to travellers on how to avoid the potential risk of having their passports forged.

In a special session at the House of Commons, the British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, said that the FCO would take strict measures and techniques to prevent passport fraud, to ensure the security of British citizens' passports and to prevent their future use in such operations.