Mossad

DUBLIN — Ireland announced Tuesday it's expelling an Israeli diplomat in punishment for the alleged Mossad use of forged Irish passports to assassinate a top Hamas official in Dubai.

Poland, a long-time ally of Israel, has turned down a request to allow alleged Mossad agent to return to Israel and will hand him over to Germany.

Former Mossad chief Ephraim Halevy argues for calm over flotilla incident, says Israel and Turkey have mutual interests worth protecting.

Read more: Poland the Mossad, Poland, Dubai Assassination, Poland Israel, Israel, The Mossad, World News

As thousands of outraged demonstrators poured into the streets of Ankara and several capitals across the globe in the aftermath of Israel's bloody attack on an aid flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip early Monday, an Israeli sergeant stood in front of reporters claiming that the activists on board "were armed with knives, scissors, pepper spray and guns." He said he was armed only with a paintball rifle.

Istanbul, Turkey -- The special welcome begins at Attaturk airport. The line to purchase visas snakes down the corridor and halfway to Iran. I stand dejectedly in it for a moment and then notice that while Americans and Europeans, along with almost every national I can make out, need the visas -- Israelis inexplicably sweep right through. I am thrilled, march up to the clerk on the shorter line and smile brightly.

"We don't need to buy visas?" I ask. "How wonderful!"

There are two profound psychological blocks that do not allow Israel's leadership to get off its disastrous course, once again proven by the Flotilla Disaster: one is sheer fear, the other is self-righteousness.

Israel has real enemies like Iran and Hezbollah. Human psychology is such that fear often leads to freezing and hanging on to the same course of action, even if it proves disastrous time and again. As a result Israel doesn't listen to criticism - either from inside or from outside.

Meir Dagan tells Knesset c'tee Iran fuel deal a distraction ploy.