France demands Israel explain Dubai passport affair

France demanded on Thursday that Israel explain how a forged French passport came to be used by assassins suspected of killing a Hamas commander in Dubai last month.

The case has already caused diplomatic friction between Israel and European allies, with Britain urging Israel to cooperate with efforts to clear up the apparent use of faked British passports. 

"We are asking for explanations from Israel's embassy in France over the circumstances of the use of a fake French passport in the assassination of a Hamas member in Dubai," the Foreign Ministry said in an electronic news briefing.

Forged British, Irish, German and French documents were used by 11 people named by the United Arab Emirates as suspects.

The French Foreign Ministry said it was cooperating with authorities in Dubai in the investigation, and the evidence obtained so far led it to conclude that the passport was forged.