Riz Khan

Murder in Dubai

Will the alleged Mossad assassination of a Hamas official be swept under the carpet?

When Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was found dead in his Dubai hotel room last month, with a “Do Not Disturb” sign hanging on his door, the death was chalked up to natural causes.

But evidence revealed in the past few days indicates that the Israeli spy agency, Mossad, was behind the cold-blooded murder – and the details have sent shockwaves around the world.

Dubai officials say they will release more information confirming that the “hit” was an Israeli operation.

Already the international police agency Interpol has issued “Red Notices” for 11 individuals charged by the UAE in the killing.

Two Palestinians from Hamas’ rival Fatah party allegedly helped the Mossad, and have been extradited from Jordan to the UAE, and one Hamas official in Damascus is reportedly under interrogation.

Dubai officials are calling for an international arrest warrant to be issued against Meir Dagan, the head of the Israeli Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations (the “Institute” or “Mossad” in Hebrew). And European governments have, at least publicly, displayed dismay at the use of fake passports and the use of details taken from the identities of individuals born in the UK, France and Ireland, but now living in Israel.

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Reports that the operation was approved by Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, have only added to the furor over what increasingly looks like an extra-judicial killing.

No one believes it will be the last Mossad assassination in the Arab world, but will the incident be swept under the carpet this time?

On Monday, Riz speaks with Robert Fisk, the Middle East correspondent for the UK daily The Independent, and Yossi Melman, the intelligence and military affairs correspondent for the Israeli daily Haaretz, who co-authored, Every Spy a Prince: The Complete History of Israel’s Intelligence Community.

You can join the conversation. Watch the show live at 2030GMT, with repeats the next day at 0030GMT, 0530GMT and 1130GMT.