When it emerged that Ramesh Vassen, a party hack named last month as consul-general to Mumbai, had been disbarred as a lawyer for stealing clients' money, the government refused to sack him, on the ground that he was a good chap who deserved a second chance.

ECONOMIST: Party time in South Africa | The

Late last year, Akiva Tor, Israel's Consul-General in San Francisco opposed a resolution put before the Jewish Federation board to boycott all groups that support boycotts and divestment from Israel.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Making Israel's case

In Los Angeles, Consul-General Ya'akov Dayan was interviewed last year on a local radio show.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Making Israel's case

And Sir Charles Wilson, who was Britain's consul-general in Anatolia at the time, may well have had a license for his excavation, said Hall.

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