Naked, drunk, surrounded by sex toys - it's the Israeli ambassador
Pastor Dale Morgan
Naked, drunk, surrounded by sex toys - it's the Israeli ambassador*
Rory Carroll, Latin America correspondent
Tuesday March 13, 2007
The Guardian
As an Israeli ambassador, Tsuriel Raphael was accomplished at putting a
gloss on delicate subjects, be it Tel Aviv's nuclear programme, the
treatment of Palestinians or the invasion of Lebanon.
When San Salvador police discovered him in his official embassy
residence yard in the capital San Salvador, however, smooth talk was not
really an option. For starters there was the gag and the rubber ball in
his mouth. There was also the matter of being drunk. And naked. And
bound. And surrounded by sex toys.
Once he was untied and the gag and ball were removed Mr Raphael
identified himself as the ambassador but for perhaps the first time in
his diplomatic career, this was a crisis he could not explain away.
"The ministry sees his behaviour as unbecoming of a diplomat," Zehavit
Ben-Hillel, an Israeli foreign ministry spokeswoman, said yesterday. It
was, she added, an unprecedented embarrassment. Mr Raphael was recalled
home two weeks ago when the ministry first learned of the incident but
the news became public only yesterday, when reports surfaced in the
Israeli media. "He is going to remain in Israel," said the spokeswoman.
The ambassador did not break any law so for the Salvadorean police the
case is closed. The Israeli government must wish it could say the same;
the incident raises questions not just about Mr Raphael but about the
foreign ministry's system of appointments. Before being sent to El
Salvador six months ago, the veteran diplomat had served in several
other countries, including the US, and as director of the Israel
Information Centre in Jerusalem. He was a polished media performer and
gave talks on Middle East geopolitics to thinktanks, universities and
lobby groups.
However, his adventure in San Salvador revived last year's criticism
from a public service watchdog that the ministry lacked transparency in
recruitment and promotion procedures.