«Israeli» Official Who Plotted to «Take Down» British MPs Resigns

Local Editor

The "Israeli" embassy official who was caught on camera plotting to "take down" British MPs resigned from service.

Shai Masot, a senior political officer at the embassy in London, resigned several days ago when he was sent back to the "Israeli" entity. The UK Foreign Office and the so-called "Israeli" ministry of foreign affairs both said that they regarded the matter as closed.

But the shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, called on the Commons foreign affairs committee to conduct an inquiry into the matter, saying it amounted to "improper interference in our democratic politics" by a foreign state.

Masot was filmed by an undercover reporter from al-Jazeera television's investigations unit as he talked about taking down MPs he considered hostile to the "Israeli" entity, including Sir Alan Duncan, the foreign office minister.

A UK civil servant who took part in the conversation, Maria Strizzolo, had also resigned from her post at the Skills Funding Agency.

Masot is a former officer in the "Israeli" navy. His LinkedIn profile page - which had been taken down - described him as an employee of the "Israeli" ministry of war.

On that profile, he wrote that his responsibilities in London included working to influence the drafting of UK legislation and founding several political organizations that are supportive of the "Israeli" entity.

In Al-Jazeera's series of documentaries, he is filmed as he starts to establish a group called Young Labor Friends of "Israel" - unaware that the man he had chosen to be chairman was an undercover reporter. He is seen making attempts to obscure the group's connection with the embassy.

The so-called "Israeli" foreign ministry officials had played down Masot's significance, describing him as a relatively junior figure. However, retired British diplomats said they believe it is highly unlikely that he was acting without authorization.

Last year, "Israeli" diplomats in London warned the foreign ministry that attempts by another government department, the strategic affairs ministry, to run British Jewish groups from al-Quds [Jerusalem] could be unlawful.

The strategic affairs ministry had been given the task of countering a worldwide campaign that is targeting the entity with boycotts, divestment and sanctions.

The cable from London warned: "The strategic affairs ministry must understand that ‘operating' organizations directly from al-Quds [Jerusalem] by email and telephone isn't good for their health."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team