Mystery surrounds the visit of Israeli Intelligence Services Minister Dan Meridor to Britain yesterday.

He was officially meeting American Middle East envoy George Mitchell, to discuss the dismantling of Israeli settlements and American plans to talk to Iran about its nuclear programme.

However, it is unclear whom else he met, and why the London venue.

Mr Meridor’s office could not immediately explain why the meeting had to be held in Europe rather than in Israel or Washington .

When the JC phoned the spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in London , Lior Ben Dor, to pose the question, he hung up.

And the American Embassy in London would not even acknowledge that Mr Meridor was in town.

“They're keeping everything about his visit very hush-hush", one veteran political observer in Israel said.

More to follow.