Israel will replace a Mossad officer expelled by Britain over the Jewish state's alleged forgery of passports used in the killing of a top Hamas militant, according to media reports.
Britain announced that it was declaring the diplomat non grata after its investigation found that Israel stole the identities of 12 British citizens to make the fake passports.
Public radio and other Israeli media said the diplomat was an officer in the Mossad spy agency and would be replaced "soon" by another intelligence officer.
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Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said he was "very disappointed" by the expulsion, but a senior official said the Jewish state would not retaliate.
'Compelling reasons' to expel official
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said there were "compelling reasons" to believe that Israel was behind the forgeries used by the team which killed Mahmud al-Mabhuh in Dubai in January.
"I've asked that a member of the embassy of Israel be withdrawn from the UK as a result of this affair and this is taking place," he told parliament.
The British Foreign Office declined to specify the position of the expelled diplomat, but reports in the Times and Telegraph newspapers said the person was a senior Mossad agent, without citing sources.
The person was believed to be the Israeli spy agency's station chief in London, the papers reported.
All eyes on Israel
The killing of Mabhuh has been widely blamed on Israel, which has declined to comment on the affair in line with longstanding policy.
The suspects used the identities of 12 Britons, as well as Australian, French, German and Irish nationals. Interpol has issued arrest notices for 27 suspects wanted by Dubai in connection with the killing.
Many of the forged passports bore the names of Israelis of dual nationality who appear to have been the victims of identity theft.
Australia won't rush to act
Meanwhile the federal government says it will wait for its own report into the apparent abuse of Australian passports in the assassination of the Hamas chief.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told The World Today the Government will not take any action against Israel until the AFP concludes its investigation.
"The AFP have been liaising with their British counterparts [and] they'll take this report into account when they make and conclude their investigations," he said.
"We're treating this matter very seriously. Israel understands that."
