UK committee to investigate Israeli embassy scandal

UK parliament's Foreign Affairs Select Committee plans
 to examine Israel's clandestine efforts to interfere in UK.

A committee of UK parliamentarians plans to investigate
 a scandal surrounding an Israeli diplomat who was 
caught promising to "take down" Britain's foreign 
office minister .

The parliament's Foreign Affairs Select Committee 
intends to examine evidence that the Israeli embassy
 in London, through senior political officer Shai Masot, attempted to interfere in British politics in order to 
shape the country's policy towards Israel-Palestine.

"The Government may have formally closed the issue 
of Shai Masot, but we intend to look into the way 
foreign states seek to influence UK policy," said 
committee chairman and Conservative MP Crispin 
Blunt, as reported by local media.

six-month investigation, exposed Masot's plans to manufacture a scandal and "take down" Foreign Office Minister Alan Duncan.

The Lobby also uncovered Israel's extensive, well-
financed propaganda campaign in the UK to counter 
negative news stories about its policies and to fund 
trips to Israel for young activists.

As part of the investigation, Robin, an undercover
 reporter using an alias, infiltrated a lobby of politicians, activists and Israeli embassy officials working to drum 
up support for Israel.

Many enjoyed financial or strategic support from the
 Israeli embassy in London via Masot.

In the wake of the investigation, Masot was forced to 
resign from Israel's UK embassy, which subsequently attempted to distance itself from Masot's actions and apologised to the UK.


Duncan targeted

Robin secretly filmed the moment at a London brasserie 
when Masot asked Maria Strizzolo, who was then chief
 of staff to MP Robert Halfon, the deputy chairman of 
the ruling Conservative Party: "Can I give you some MPs 
that I would suggest you take down?"

In response, Strizzolo said: "Well you know, if you look
 hard enough I'm sure that there is something that
 they're trying to hide."

"Yeah. I have some MPs," Masot replies.


"[Strizzolo] knows which MPs I want to take down …
 The Deputy Foreign Minister."

Masot was referring to Duncan.

Strizzolo later hinted that "a little scandal" might see 
Duncan dismissed.

Duncan said in 2014 that while he fully supports
 Israel's right to exist, he believes settlements on occupied Palestinian land represent an "ever-deepening stain
 on the face of the globe".

He also likened the situation in Hebron in the occupied 
West Bank to apartheid.

At the same dinner table conversation, Masot described
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Duncan's boss, 
as an "idiot … without any kind of responsibilities", 
while Strizzolo said he was "solid on Israel".


Opposition targeted

Earlier this month, Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the 
opposition Labour Party, called for an inquiry into 
Masot's activities.

In an open letter to Prime Minister Theresa May, 
Corbyn described the actions of Masot as "improper interference in this country's democratic process".

Explaining that he was "concerned" by Johnson's
announcement that the embassy's activities were a
 closed matter, Corbyn urged May to launch an inquiry:
 "This is clearly a national security issue."

He continued: "It is only on [the basis of an investigation] 
that Parliament and the public will be reassured that
 such activities will not be tolerated by your government."

Supporters of Corbyn, who is a leftist with a long history
 of Palestinian solidarity activism, were among those
 accused of anti-Semitism by Israeli officials.