DATE=10/23/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-41677
TITLE=MIDEAST TALKS / POLLARD
BYLINE=CHALLISS MCDONOUGH
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: FRIDAY'S ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE TALKS NEAR WASHINGTON
"HIT A SNAG" -- AT LEAST FOR A WHILE -- OVER AN ISRAELI REQUEST
THAT THE UNITED STATES RELEASE CONVICTED SPY JONATHAN POLLARD.
MR. POLLARD IS A FORMER U-S NAVAL INTELLIGENCE ANALYST WHO
PLEADED GUILTY IN 1986 TO PASSING MILITARY SECRETS TO ISRAEL.
V-O-A'S CHALLISS MCDONOUGH TELLS US MORE ABOUT THE MAN, WHO IS
SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE IN A PRISON IN (THE SOUTHEASTERN STATE
OF) NORTH CAROLINA.
TEXT: U-S AUTHORITIES ARRESTED JONATHAN POLLARD OUTSIDE THE
ISRAELI EMBASSY IN 1985 AND CHARGED HIM WITH ESPIONAGE. THE
AMERICAN JEW HAD BEEN A CIVILIAN INTELLIGENCE ANALYST FOR THE U-S
NAVY FOR FIVE YEARS. IN A 1986 PLEA BARGAIN, HE ADMITTED TAKING
50-THOUSAND DOLLARDS FROM ISRAEL IN EXCHANGE FOR CLASSIFIED U-S
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES OF ARAB COUNTRIES AND TERRORIST
GROUPS.
JONATHAN POLLARD'S WIFE, ESTHER POLLARD, SAYS HER HUSBAND LEARNED
THE UNITED STATES WAS WITHHOLDING INFORMATION FROM ISRAEL ABOUT
NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS PROGRAMS IN THE MIDDLE
EAST.
// ESTHER POLLARD ACT //
AFTER HE HAD TRIED EVERY LEGAL MEANS IN HIS POWER TO
RELEASE THE INFORMATION AND FOUND HIMSELF BLOCKED AT
EVERY TURN OF THE WAY, THAT IS WHEN HE ACTED ON HIS
FEAR. HE WAS TERRIFIED FOR ISRAEL AND TERRIFIED OF THE
VAST NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE KILLED. AT THAT
POINT, HE TURNED TO ISRAEL AND OFFERED TO GIVE THEM THE
INFORMATION. HE BROKE THE LAW. HE'S SORRY HE BROKE THE
LAW. HE WISHED HE DID NOT HAVE TO DO THAT.
// END ACT //
JOSEPH DIGENOVA IS THE FORMER FEDERAL ATTORNEY WHO PROSECUTED THE
CASE AGAINST THE POLLARDS. HE SAYS JONATHAN POLLARD'S 18-MONTHS
OF SPYING HAVE SO FAR COST THE UNITED STATES HUNDREDS OF
M/I/L/L/I/O/N/S OF DOLLARS TO FIX.
// DIGENOVA ACT //
MR. POLLARD COMMITTED ONE OF THE MOST GRIEVOUS OFFENSES
EVER COMMITTED AGAINST THE UNITED STATES IN THE NATIONAL
SECURITY AREA ... PHYSICALLY, HE TURNED OVER TO THE
ISRAELIS NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION -- BOTH TECHNICAL
AND HUMAN -- OF A VAST VARIETY, WHICH FILLED A ROOM SIX
FEET (TWO METERS) BY SIX FEET (TWO METERS) BY 10 FEET
(THREE METERS).
// END ACT //
PRESIDENT CLINTON, LIKE HIS PREDECESSOR GEORGE BUSH, HAS
PREVIOUSLY REJECTED CLEMENCY FOR POLLARD. AT THE TIME THAT THE
LAST APPEAL WAS TURNED DOWN IN 1986, CLINTON ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIALS SAID POLLARD STILL POSED A THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY.
MR. DIGENOVA SAYS THE CONVICTED SPY SHOULD NOT BE RELEASED.
// DIGENOVA ACT //
FIRST OF ALL, HE IS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN. WE, AS A
COUNTRY, DO NOT TRADE OUR CITIZENS TO ANY COUNTRY IF
THEY COMMIT ESPIONAGE. WE LOCK THEM UP AFTER WE CONVICT
THEM. WE HAVE FREQUENTLY EXCHANGED SPIES FROM OTHER
COUNTRIES FOR OUR OWN SPIES, BUT WE HAVE NEVER SENT AN
AMERICAN WHO SPIED AGAINST US TO ANOTHER COUNTRY. THAT
HAS NEVER HAPPENED, AND IT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN IN THIS
CASE.
// END ACT //
JONATHAN POLLARD IS SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE FOR SPYING FOR A U-S
ALLY -- A CRIME HIS WIFE, ESTHER, SAYS USUALLY CARRIES A PRISON
SENTENCE OF TWO TO FOUR YEARS. MRS. POLLARD SAYS ISRAEL HAS
REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR HER HUSBAND'S RELEASE.
// ESTHER POLLARD ACT //
AS A WIFE, MY HUSBAND IS SICK. HE IS WORN OUT. HE IS
SERVING A GROSSLY DISPROPORTIANATE SENTENCE. HE WANTS
TO GO HOME. HE HAS EXPRESSED HIS REMORSE ON NUMEROUS
OCCASIONS. ISRAEL HAS GIVEN COMPLETE GUARANTEES TO BE
FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HIM. NOW BETWEEN CLOSE FRIENDS
AND STRONG ALLIES, THAT OUGHT TO BE ENOUGH.
// END ACT //
PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU IS THE FIRST ISRAELI LEADER TO
ACKNOWLEDGE POLLARD WAS ACTING AS AN ISRAELI AGENT. MR.
NETANYAHU GRANTED THE CONVICTED SPY ISRAELI CITIZENSHIP EARLIER
THIS YEAR AND HAS REPEATEDLY PUSHED THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION TO
RELEASE HIM.
// OPT // JUDITH KNIPPER IS A MIDDLE EAST SPECIALIST AT THE
CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN WASHINGTON.
SHE SAYS POLLARD'S SPYING ACTIVITIES CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE
AND HAD LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS FOR U-S NATIONAL SECURITY. SHE
THINKS THE RAISING OF THE POLLARD ISSUE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE
MIDDLE EAST PEACE TALKS IS "QUITE SERIOUS."
// KNIPPER ACT //
I THINK FIRST THERE IS NEGOTIATING FOR PEACE AND
IMPLEMENTING WHAT THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY
COMMITTED ITSELF TO. AND THEN THERE IS THE BILATERAL
ISSUE OF AN AMERICAN CITIZEN WHO WAS A PAID SPY FOR THE
STATE OF ISRAEL. WE ARE VERY CLOSE ALLIES AND CLEARLY
RELEASING HIM HAS SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS POLITICALLY AND
STRATEGICALLY FOR THE UNITED STATES AS WELL AS FOR
ISRAEL.
// END ACT & END OPT //
IN ORDER TO PAVE THE WAY FOR AN ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE
AGREEMENT LATE FRIDAY, MR. CLINTON TOLD THE ISRAELIS HE WOULD
REVIEW POLLARD'S CASE. BUT THE PRESIDENT SAID THAT HE AGREED TO
SO -- WITHOUT MAKING ANY COMMITMENT AS TO THE OUTCOME OF THAT
REVIEW. (SIGNED)
NEB/CEM/RRM
23-Oct-98 5:22 PM EDT (2122 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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