This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000605 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/ANP 
NSC FOR GREEN, JONES 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2014 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND IMPOSES "STRICT CONSTRAINTS" ON 
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL IN WAKE OF SPY SCANDAL 
 
Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION, DAVID R. BURNETT FOR REASONS 1. 
5(B,D) 
 
¶1. (U) In an escalating diplomatic row, two Israeli men were 
sentenced July 14 by the High Court of New Zealand to six 
months in jail on charges of trying to obtain a false New 
Zealand passport.  The GoNZ has not pursued allegations that 
the men are agents of Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. 
While Prime Minister Helen Clark would not confirm which 
service employed the men, she noted "if one were to lay 
espionage charges, one would have to be prepared to offer the 
kind of evidence in court which our intelligence agencies 
don't like coming forward to display.  We have very strong 
grounds for believing these are Israeli intelligence agents." 
 Israeli citizens Uriel Zoshe Kelman and Eli Cara were 
sentenced to six months in jail, and ordered to each make a 
NZ$50,000 (US35,000) donation to the Cerebral Palsy Society. 
(Note: In attempting to procure a passport, they had procured 
the birth certificate of a cerebral palsy sufferer.)  The 
light sentence reflected the fact that the two men were not 
the principal actors in the plot, which was led by Israeli 
Zev William Barkan, who has fled New Zealand and is still 
wanted.  Cara and Kelman pled guilty earlier this month to 
three charges, including attempting to obtain a New Zealand 
passport and participating in an organized crime group to 
obtain a false passport, and faced a maximum sentence of five 
years.  The latter charge is a relatively new provision in 
the New Zealand Crimes Act, designed to counter transnational 
crime. 
 
Fallout - "Strict Constraints" 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) Prime Minister Helen Clark suspended high-level 
contact with Israel and announced a range of diplomatic 
sanctions, including placing Ministry of Foreign Affairs and 
Trade (MFAT) officials under "strict constraints" in their 
contact with Israelis.  Clark justified her actions by 
stating "the Israeli agents attempted to demean the integrity 
of the New Zealand passport system.  The Israeli Government 
was asked for an explanation and an apology three months ago. 
 Neither has been received."  Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan 
Shalom responded via radio, saying "we are sorry about this 
matter.  It will be dealt with and all will be done to 
restore Israel's long history of good relations with New 
Zealand."  Clark refused to accept this informal apology. 
She has announced New Zealand will continue plans to require 
Israeli officials to apply for visas, to postpone all Israeli 
consultations this year, and to delay the agrement for a new 
Israeli Ambassador, resident in Australia.  Israel's 
president, Moshe Katsov, was expected to visit New Zealand in 
August, but the GoNZ will likely refuse his request. 
 
¶3. (SBU) In a separate, but possibly related incident, a 
Jewish cemetery in Wellington was vandalized July 15, and 
headstones were desecrated.  Clark immediately condemned the 
attack. 
 
¶4. (C) Comment: The GoNZ's public reaction is its strongest 
diplomatic retaliation in 20 years ) since French spies 
bombed the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland harbor in 1985. 
Clark's limitations on diplomatic contact go further than the 
GoNZ reaction in 1985, however, and it was reported that she 
toughened the language of her response from that put forward 
by MFAT.  The GONZ has little to lose by such stringent 
action, with limited contact and trade with Israel, and 
possibly something to gain in the Arab world, as the GoNZ is 
establishing an Embassy in Egypt and actively pursuing trade 
with Arab states.  With Israeli Government officials eager to 
repair the relationship, and no time limit on the GoNZ's 
restrictions, it is possible the issue may be resolved in six 
months, when the Cara and Kelman have served their time, and 
leave the country. 
Swindells