London embassy officer Shai Masot leaves service as UK Labour calls for investigation into ‘improper interference by foreign state’

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

The Israeli embassy official who was caught on camera plotting to “take down” British MPs has resigned from government service.

Shai Masot, a senior political officer at the embassy in London, resigned several days ago when he was sent back to Israel. The UK Foreign Office and the Israeli ministry of foreign affairs both said that they regarded the matter as closed.

But the shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, has called on the Commons foreign affairs committee to conduct an inquiry into the matter, saying it amounted to “improper interference in our democratic politics” by a foreign state.

Masot was filmed by an undercover reporter from Al Jazeera television’s investigations unit as he talked about taking down MPs he considered hostile to Israel, including Sir Alan Duncan, the foreign office minister.

A UK civil servant who took part in the conversation, Maria Strizzolo, has also resigned from her post at the Skills Funding Agency.

Masot is a former officer in the Israeli navy. His LinkedIn profile page – which has been taken down – described him as an employee of the Israeli ministry of defence.

On that profile, he wrote that his responsibilities in London included working to influence the drafting of UK legislation and founding several political organisations that are supportive of Israel.

In Al Jazeera’s series of documentaries, he is filmed as he starts to establish a group called Young Labour Friends of Israel – unaware that the man he has chosen to be chairman was an undercover reporter. He is seen making attempts to obscure the group’s connection with the embassy.

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Israeli foreign ministry officials have played down Masot’s significance, describing him as a relatively junior figure. However, retired British diplomats say they believe it is highly unlikely that he was acting without authorisation.

Last year, Israeli diplomats in London warned the foreign ministry that attempts by another government department, the strategic affairs ministry, to run British Jewish groups from Jerusalem could be unlawful.

The strategic affairs ministry has been given the task of countering a worldwide campaign that is targeting Israel with boycotts, divestment and sanctions.

The cable from London warned: “The strategic affairs ministry must understand that ‘operating’ organisations directly from Jerusalem by email and telephone isn’t good for their health.”