(Guardian-UK) Britain has ordered MI6 agent Alistair Crooke to leave Jerusalem. Crooke, 54, provided Britain with its only direct contact with Hamas and other organizations officially shunned by the UK. But his associates say he is being forced out by the Foreign Office, which they claim is increasingly reluctant to challenge Israel's pledge to "obliterate terrorist groups." Crooke engineered several truces between the Israelis and Palestinians during the past three years. Crooke continued to argue that Hamas was ready to enter the political process, but he was criticized by Israeli and Palestinian officials including PA security minister Mohammed Dahlan, who complained that Crooke gave too much prominence to Hamas.
2003-09-25 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive