British Consul Strip Searched At Israeli PM's Office

Rory McCarthy
Tuesday, march 27, 2007
London Guardian

Israel's foreign ministry has apologised after the British deputy ambassador to Tel Aviv was forced to strip for a security search at the Israeli prime minister's office.

Janet Rogan, who is Britain's consul general in Tel Aviv, was with a delegation of British Treasury officials, led by Ed Balls, the economic secretary to the Treasury, earlier this month.

They arrived at the Jerusalem office of the prime minister, Ehud Olmert, ahead of a meeting with his chief of staff and his political adviser.

The names of the visitors had been given in advance, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said yesterday.

But security guards ordered Ms Rogan to undergo a physical search, the paper said. She refused and presented her diplomatic identity card.

However, she was then made to step behind a partition and to undergo a physical search, which included removing her blouse.

The Yedioth described the search as a "prolonged, needless and humiliating process" and said the diplomat was visibly upset.

Later, after Ms Rogan made a written complaint, the prime minister's office investigated the incident and an Israeli foreign ministry official met her to apologise.