Sources this weekend say that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was informed prior to the Dubai assassination by Mossad and gave the operation the “green light” in early January.

Meir Dagan

Netanyahu reportedly met with Mossad Chief Meir Dagan and was briefed about the plan to kill Hamas commander Mabhouh during a visit to a Dubai hotel. Reportedly the hit squad had used a hotel in Tel Aviv as a “training ground” to practice infiltration.

Controversy over the killing has grown amid revelations that the hit squad used stolen passport data from Israelis with joint British citizenship as cover. Israel has officially taken a position of “ambiguity” on the killing.

Dubai police have sought the arrest of Dagan for his role in the killing, but have also raised the prospect of seeking an international arrest warrant against Netanyahu for signing off on the assassination.

Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz

• Centrifuge Glitch Fuels Latest Iran Scare Stories - May 25th, 2012
• Iraq MPs Push Return to Saddam-Era Conscription Laws - May 25th, 2012
• US Negotiator on Iran to 'Reaffirm Our Unshakeable Commitment to Israel' - May 25th, 2012
• UN: Syria Bombings Likely by 'Established Terrorist Groups' - May 25th, 2012
• Military to Avoid Embarrassing Pictures by Banning Photography - May 25th, 2012