Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has said there is no proof the Mossad spy agency carried out the killing of a Hamas commander in Dubai.But he did not fully deny that Israel carried out the killing, citing its "policy of ambiguity" on such matters.
Dubai believes 11 "agents with European passports" killed Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.
Seven foreign-born Israelis named as suspects say their identities were stolen and they were not involved. UK passports used were said to be fake.
France, Germany and the Irish Republic also said they believed the passports from their countries used by the alleged killers were false.
'Israel never confirms'
Hamas has accused Israeli agents of murdering their operative - a view shared by many commentators because Mossad has in the past used forged foreign passports in its operations.
But in Israel's first official comments on the affair, Mr Lieberman said there was no reason to blame Israel and Mossad.
"I don't know why we are assuming that Israel, or the Mossad, used those passports," he told Army Radio.
"There is no reason to think that it was the Israeli Mossad, and not some other intelligence service or country up to some mischief."
He did not outright deny Israeli involvement.
"Israel never responds, never confirms and never denies," he said. "There is no reason for Israel to change this policy."
A former officer with the Israeli spy agency, Mossad, said the killing "looks like an Israeli operation".
But Gad Shimron added: "I believe it will never be officially confirmed by any Israeli government."
Mr Mabhouh was murdered in his hotel room in Dubai on 20 January.
Reports have suggested he was in Dubai to buy weapons for the Palestinian Islamist movement, Hamas.
Two Palestinian suspects were being questioned about the murder. Police said they had "fled to Jordan" after the killing, without releasing their names.
Wigs and false beards
Officials in Dubai, who have issued arrest warrants, said the team appeared to be a professional hit squad, probably sponsored by a foreign power.
They released CCTV footage which they said showed some of the suspects in disguises, including wigs and false beards, in the hotel near Dubai's international airport.
The suspects allegedly trailed Mr Mabhouh when he arrived in Dubai from Syria, paid for everything in cash and used various mobile phones.
Some of the British-born Israelis whose names were on the passports used by the suspects have said they are shocked by the discovery.
"I don't know how they got my details, who took them," said Stephen Daniel Hodes, 37.
"I haven't left the country, I think, for two years and I've never been to Dubai ever. I don't know who's behind this. I am just scared, these are major forces," he said.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for a "full investigation" into what happened.
