Israel's Handling of Pollard Affair to be Reviewed

State Comptroller Lindenstrauss is likely to take on a major new case: The various Israeli governments' handling of the Jonathan Pollard affair and their failure to obtain his release.



The idea was that of MK Zevulun Orlev, leader of the National Religious Party and chairman of the Knesset State Audit Committtee.  He spoke with Lindenstrauss by phone, and told him that his Knesset committee plans to debate the matter. 

Precisely two weeks from now, Israel will mark 22 years of Pollard's incarceration in the United States on one charge of passing classified information to an ally.  His life sentence without parole, in violation of a previous plea bargain agreement, is totally disproportionate to the average sentence for this crime of 2-4 years in prison.



Committee Will Ask Comptroller to Prepare Report

Orlev told the Comptroller that the committee would vote on an official resolution asking him to prepare a report on why Israel has not succeeded, after 22 years, in bringing about Pollard's release from prison in the United States. A majority is expected to vote in favor of the request.



Contrary to news reports, the secretary of the Knesset Audit Committee told Arutz-7 that the issue would not be debated this coming Sunday.  "We have to prepare, and issue invitations, and the like," she said. "I can't say exactly when it will be, but we won't forget about it."

"Preparations are now being made for Annapolis," MK Orlev said, "and there are ongoing contacts with the U.S. all the time.  Has the Government of Israel, in this context, raised the matter of Pollard's release, and not only the release of Palestinian terrorists?  That is the question.  I hope and I am sure that the government is doing something, but the question is if it is doing enough."



Comptroller Lindenstrauss, if he takes on the job of investigating Israel's official actions vis-a-vis Pollard, will have much to investigate, including:



• The talk between then-Prime Minister Shimon Peres and then-US Secretary of State George Schulz, on the day of the arrest, in which Peres denied knowledge of the affair and promised to help the Americans;



• The decision by Peres to return all the documents to the United States - without ensuring that they would not be used as evidence against Pollard;



• Israel's failure to aid Pollard legally;



• Israel's failure to recognize him as an Israeli agent until 13 years after he was arrested;



• The Supreme Court's rejection of Pollard's request to be recognized as a Prisoner of Zion;



• Ex-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's failure to take a letter to U.S. President Bush signed by 110 MKs asking for Pollard's release;

• Israel's failure to have ever filed a formal request with the United States for his release.