Israel's UK envoy 'withdrawn over late-night visitors'

Israel's withdrawal of its UK ambassador was due to security concerns relating to late-night visitors to his North London home, it has been reported.

Daniel Taub, who served as ambassador to the UK from 2011 to 2015, reportedly received visitors to his home without clearing their arrivals with Israeli security or British diplomatic protection.

Responding to the allegations about its envoy's conduct, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs told The Guardian that it "expressed its disgust at the publication of untruthful allegations regarding one of the finest members of its foreign service".

The ministry also insisted that there had been "no criminal or disciplinary wrongdoing", despite a source telling The Daily Telegraph that "this is the kind of situation that could make you vulnerable to blackmail".

The reports emerged after Taub became the subject of a recent controversy relating to an alleged scandal involving an unidentified senior Israeli diplomat in Europe. Taub, 55, was returned to Jerusalem in 2015 after serving four years in the UK, despite reportedly applying to stay in London.

The allegations against Taub are significant, given that he had reportedly received the backing of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to take up a post as the Israeli foreign affairs ministry's chief legal counsel.

According to reports, the allegations made against him may have jeopardised his chances of being selected for the job.

After departing from London last summer, Taub is set to be replaced by the Israeli prime minister's former spokesman, Mark Regev, who will take up the role of ambassador to the UK in March.