My advice is to stow the D-cups for a coupla days - lest the Maoris have been reading Mein Kampf.
(poor jews - that mean Helen Clark - well the spies did plead guilty but)
Jews fear backlash from spy case
No apology from Israel in spy case (7:16) Spy case strains diplomatic relations (6:57)
Jul 16, 2004
Leaders of New Zealand's Jewish community reacted with concern to the breach with Israel following the jailing of two suspected Israeli spies on passport fraud charges.
New Zealand Jewish Chronicle editor, Mike Regan, says it lowers the standing of Jews in New Zealand and adds support to the Palestinian cause.
After a meeting of the Jewish Council, he said members are concerned that it will have repercussions for what he calls New Zealand's already low support for Israel.
Eli Cara and Urie Kelman, who are widely believed to be Israeli spies, received a six month jail sentence after pleading guilty to belonging to an organised criminal group and attempting to fraudulently obtain a New Zealand passport.
Cara, 50, and Kelman, 31, were caught trying to obtain the false documents using the identity of a wheelchair bound cerebral palsy sufferer.
Prime Minister Helen Clark asked for an explanation and an apology from Israel three months ago but never received one. On Thursday, she imposed diplomatic sanctions against the Jewish state.
A Jewish leader in Wellington, George Pressburg, says the events are a setback for efforts to foster and support New Zealand's relations with Israel.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying it regretted the current diplomatic situation between the two friendly countries.
But a member of Auckland's Jewish community, David Sanders, is calling on the Israeli government to respond to the allegations that the men are Mossad agents.
Cara and Kelman will be deported from New Zealand immediately when they are released from jail in around 10 weeks time.
But their lawyers are demanding the New Zealand government explain who leaked claims the pair are Mossad spies.
Clark said there are very strong reasons to think Cara and Kelman were acting on behalf of Israel's intelligence services.
The lawyer for Kelman, Grant Illingworth said it looks like officials leaked information to the media.
Cara's lawyer, Stuart Grieve, said they have had to deal with the spy allegation despite the fact that espionage was an issue that was never before the court.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Phil Goff says no government official or department leaked the allegations. He says a jury trial would have found the Israelis guilty of the crime they were charged with but it was pre-empted by their guilty pleas.
The Department of Internal Affairs says the successful prosecution of the Israelis shows that its systems for detecting scams are working.
Manager for Passports, David Philp, says the New Zealand passport has a range of security features that make it difficult to fake or obtain fraudulently. He says moves are afoot to introduce even further security measures.
