Israel arrests Netherlands consul

Yitzhaki was arrested after flying to Israel

Israeli police have arrested one of the country's diplomats serving in the Netherlands for allegedly issuing passports in exchange for bribes.

The Israeli consul in The Hague, Uriel Yitzhaki, was arrested after flying to Ben Gurion airport outside Tel Aviv.

An investigation was started in July 2004 after reports that passports were being issued to people ineligible to receive them.

Mr Yitzhaki, 56, is expected to appear before magistrates later on Wednesday.

The head of the International Crimes Unit in the Israeli police, Amichai Shai, said undercover officers had been investigating Mr Yitzhaki in The Hague for several months in a joint operation with the Dutch and other police forces.