The World - News from May 20, 1988

The Israeli Department of Antiquities has accused the State Department’s chief legal adviser, Abraham D. Sofaer, of taking archeological artifacts out of Israel illegally and has begun negotiations with him for their return. Sofaer said he has been buying old coins from authorized dealers in Israel for about 10 years and none had ever told him he needed a license to export them. He said he had contacted a lawyer in Israel who told him there was a law requiring a license “but nobody ever gets one” for coins. It was not immediately clear why Sofaer’s difficulties have suddenly become public in Israel. As a senior U.S. official, Sofaer has diplomatic immunity, which under normal circumstances protects diplomats from legal confrontations.