AFP agents in “hit-and-run” accident

AUSTRALIAN Federal Police agents are believed to have been involved in a hit-and-run car accident less than 12 hours after arriving in Israel to investigate the use of passports of three Australians in last month's Dubai assassination.

In an extraordinary turn of events, a car screeched out of the car park under the Australian Embassy in Tel Aviv and hit a woman riding a bicycle, who was not seriously injured.

But the car did not stop, instead continuing on its high-speed journey.

The Australian Embassy last night confirmed it was investigating the incident but would not confirm that the car that hit the woman contained the three AFP agents.

An embassy spokeswoman said as part of the investigation embassy officials had spoken to the driver of the car. She would not say what he had said had occurred.

The driver of the car, when asked by The Australian as he returned to the embassy if he had been involved in an accident with a woman on a bike, continued walking into the embassy and said: “Can you shut the door.”

The woman, Oshra Bar, told one media outlet last night: “I want an apology and a new wheel. I was hit and I kind of bounced.”

The AFP had arrived early yesterday to investigate how the passports of three Australians were used in the January 19 assassination of Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.

The accident occurred as the embassy car was taking the AFP agents from the embassy to their hotel.

The embassy car is a silver Toyota four-wheel drive. The embassy spokeswoman said they had not heard from the woman in the accident and wanted to speak to her as part of their investigation.

The embassy spokeswoman said last night: “It is a very serious issue.

We are currently investigating it.

“We have not been contacted by anyone who has been knocked off her bike.

“I can confirm that that (the car which left the building) is an embassy car. I don't think at this point that I can comment on who was and was not in the car.”

The spokesman said she did have advice from the driver as to “whether something did or did not occur.”

Asked what the driver had said, she replied: “It is not appropriate at this point to comment on our incomplete investigation.”