DATE=1/19/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42393
TITLE=ISRAEL / POLLARD
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ISRAEL HAS RENEWED ITS APPEALS TO THE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION FOR CLEMENCY FOR CONVICTED ISRAELI SPY JONATHAN
POLLARD. PRESIDENT CLINTON IS CONDUCTING A REVIEW OF THE
CONTROVERSIAL CASE THIS WEEK. VOA'S DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS FROM
JERUSALEM.
TEXT: ISRAELI OFFICIALS SAY THEY DO NOT HAVE HIGH HOPES THAT
PRESIDENT CLINTON WILL FREE JONATHAN POLLARD OUTRIGHT. BUT THEY
DO SAY A STRONG CASE CAN BE MADE ON BOTH LEGAL AND HUMANITARIAN
GROUNDS FOR REDUCING HIS LIFE PRISON SENTENCE TO A FINITE TERM.
THE FORMER U-S NAVY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST PLEADED GUILTY IN 1986
TO CHARGES OF PASSING THOUSANDS OF SECRET DOCUMENTS TO ISRAEL,
MUCH OF IT HIGHLY SENSITIVE MATERIAL ON THE MILITARY CAPABILITIES
OF ARAB COUNTRIES AND WARSAW PACT.
POLLARD -- AN AMERICAN JEW -- INITIATED THE SPY RELATIONSHIP,
WHICH THE GOVERNMENT HERE INITIALLY DISAVOWED AS A ROGUE
OPERATION BY MID-LEVEL ISRAELI OFFICIALS.
BUT ISRAELI SPOKESMAN MOSHE FOGEL SAYS ISRAEL HAS SINCE ADMITTED
ITS CULPABILITY IN THE CASE AND APOLOGIZED TO ITS MAIN ALLY, AND
THAT POLLARD, JAILED NOW FOR NEARLY 14 YEARS, SHOULD BE GIVEN THE
HOPE OF EVENTUAL RELEASE:
///FOGEL ACTUALITY///
WE'VE TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY AS THE GOVERNMENT FOR HIS
ACTIONS. IN OTHER WORDS HIS ACTIONS WERE NOT SOLELY HIS
RESPONSIBILITY. AND THEREFORE WE BELIEVE THAT MISTAKES
WERE MADE, BUT THAT HE SHOULD NOT PAY THE PRICE FOR
THE REST OF HIS LIFE. AND THAT OUT OF HUMANITARIAN
CONSIDERATIONS, HIS PERIOD IN JAIL SHOULD BE SETTLED AT
A SPECIFIC TIMETABLE AND NOT LIFE IN PRISON.
///END ACT///
BUT A REDUCTION IN SENTENCE FOR POLLARD IS STRONGLY OPPOSED BY
THE U-S INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY AND THOSE WHO PROSECUTED THE CASE.
AND 60 MEMBERS OF THE SENATE WROTE PRESIDENT CLINTON LAST WEEK TO
URGE THAT HE REMAIN BEHIND BARS.
U-S INTELLIGENCE SOURCES HAVE BEEN QUOTED AS SAYING POLLARD GAVE
ISRAEL CRITICAL MATERIAL, INCLUDING ENCRYPTION MANUALS THAT
EVENTUALLY FOUND THEIR WAY TO THE FORMER SOVIET UNION AND MAY
HAVE COST THE LIVES OF RUSSIAN INFORMANTS FOR THE UNITED STATES.
HOWEVER POLLARD'S LAWYER IN ISRAEL, LARRY DUB, TOLD V-O-A HIS
CLIENT IS THE VICTIM OF OF A VICIOUS ATTACK BY A U-S SPY
COMMUNITY WHICH IS TRYING TO TRANSFER TO POLLARD BLAME FOR ITS
FAILINGS IN THE 1980S:
///DUB ACTUALITY///
THE FACTS ARE VERY, VERY CLEAR. MR. POLLARD WAS CHARGED
WITH ONE COUNT, AND I EMPHASIZE ONE COUNT, OF PASSING
CLASSIFIED INFORMATION TO AN ALLY, ISRAEL. HE'S BEING
ACCUSED OF BEING A TRAITOR, TREASON, HARMING THE UNITED
STATES. ALL OF THAT IS NONSENSE, BECAUSE IF ANY OF THE
ALLEGATIONS HAD ANY SCINTILLA OF EVIDENCE, ALL OF THESE
FACTORS WOULD HAVE COME OUT IN MR. POLLARD'S TRIAL. THE
FACT REMAINS THAT MR. POLLARD IS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN A LIFE
SENTENCE FOR A CRIME THAT NORMALLY CARRIES A TWO TO
FOUR-YEAR TERM.
///END ACT///
PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS TURNED DOWN CLEMENCY FOR POLLARD TWICE
BEFORE. HE AGREED TO EXAMINE THE CASE AGAIN LAST OCTOBER AFTER
ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU -- IN A CONTROVERSIAL MOVE --
TRIED TO GET POLLARD FREED IN LAST-MINUTE BARGAINING OVER THE WYE
RIVER PEACE ACCORD WITH THE PALESTINIANS.
// OPT // IN A LETTER TO PRESIDENT CLINTON OVER THE WEEKEND, MR.
NETANYAHU SAID THE POLLARD AFFAIR HAS DRIVEN A WEDGE BETWEEN THE
TWO COUNTRIES PEOPLES AND GOVERNMENTS AND THAT IS TIME TO PUT
WHAT HE CALLED "THIS UNFORTUNATE CHAPTER" BEHIND US. // END OPT
//
THE ISSUE GENERATED FURTHER CONTROVERSY IN ISRAEL WHEN IT WAS
DISCLOSED THAT LABOR PARTY LEADER EHUD BARAK -- MR. NETANYAHU'S
MAIN ELECTION RIVAL -- HAD REFUSED TO SIGN A JOINT APPEAL TO THE
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION BY ISRAELI POLITICAL LEADERS THAT
POLLARD'S PRISON SENTENCE BE REDUCED TO TIME ALREADY SERVED.
MR. BARAK, WHO SAYS HE FAVORS QUIET DIPLOMACY ON THE ISSUE,
ACCUSED MR. NETANYAHU OF DAMAGING POLLARD'S CAUSE BY EXPLOITING
HIM FOR POLITICAL GAIN IN ADVANCE OF THE ISRAEL VOTING IN MAY.
// REST OPT // WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS HAVE SAID MR. CLINTON IS
UNLIKELY TO ANNOUNCE A DECISION ON POLLARD IMMEDIATELY, GIVEN THE
ISRAEL ELECTION AND HIS OWN IMPEACHMENT TRIAL IN THE SENATE.
(SIGNED)
NEB/DAG/PCF
19-Jan-99 9:48 AM EST (1448 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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