Israel film to spoof 'Mossad' Hamas hit

Inspired by the alleged Mossad assassination of a Hamas leader in 2010, an elite team of Israelis are planning their own hit... movie, that is. A team of Israeli and French filmmakers believe the assassination of Hamas commander Mahmud al-Mabhuh, found dead in his Dubai hotel room in January 2010, will be perfect fodder for a movie, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Monday. The incident caused an international uproar, with the Dubai authorities quickly pointing the finger at Israel, and releasing surveillance footage showing a team of alleged Israeli agents they say killed Mabhuh. But the filmmakers are planning a comedy spoof of the incident, which earned Israel international rebuke following reports that those involved used fake Western passports. The film's working title is "Kidon" or "Javelin" -- the codename given to the operation in the film, the paper said. The plot revolves around two senior Mossad agents, played by prominent Israeli actors Shlomo Bar-Abba and Sasson Gabai, who are shocked to hear about the operation, knowing the intelligence agency was not behind it. They learn the assassination was part of a complex fraud plot involving a motley crew of criminals, among them a student, a fraud expert and a brothel owner. Filming is expected to begin in April, Haaretz said, though no projected release date has been given yet. The assassination of Mabhuh, a founder of Hamas's military wing, has already provided Israeli advertisers with creative inspiration. In March 2010, an Israeli supermarket chain used actors dressed like the alleged agents seen in the Dubai surveillance footage for an advert saying they would "eliminate the prices." Israel has never confirmed its involvement in the assassination, but it was criticised by countries whose passports were used in the operation, including Britain, which expelled an Israeli diplomat over the incident.