Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., July 30, 2009 Av 9, 5769 | | Israel Time: 10:19 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Maccabiah Travel Week's End Anglo File
Share |
What has Israel done for Jonathan Pollard lately?
By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: State Comptroller, U.S. 

Even George W. Bush did not take pity on Jonathan Pollard, who has been rotting in jail for 24 years now. The end of a president's term always raises the hopes of those who wish to see Pollard free, hopes that are repeatedly dashed. Thus it was at the end of Bush senior's term, Bill Clinton's and now George W. Bush's. Israeli public opinion has ignored the matter. Even the small group of activists, most of whom are known for their vociferousness, have been quiet, as if they have given up.

But help may be on the way from State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss. The comptroller is now completing a secret report, most of whose details will obviously not be released - for reasons of state security and foreign relations - about the conduct of the government and its intelligence community in the last few years of this sad affair. The report was written by the security division of the State Comptroller's Office, headed by Maj. Gen. (ret.) Yaakov "Mendi" Orr.

The probe does not involve Pollard's welfare. On that end, Pollard has been treated more than reasonably. All his legal and other expenses have been financed by the state of Israel.
Advertisement
The investigation focuses on actions that were done, or not done, by the government and various bodies that were aware of Pollard's activities, or enjoyed the fruit of his espionage labors, particularly the Mossad and Military Intelligence. The comptroller is looking into whether prime ministers, defense ministers and other ministers and intelligence chiefs raised the issue with their American counterparts, what exactly they told them, how frequently and how insistent they were. It also asks to what extent they made efforts to come up with original ideas that might have persuaded the administration, law enforcement authorities and the American intelligence services.

As much as can be gleaned from the sources contacted by the state comptroller's office, the conclusion is not unequivocal. It seems that the comptroller did not find evidence of serious neglect by the governments of Israel, although between the lines it may be concluded that these bodies didn't go out of their way to bring about Pollard's release either. In other words, the report gives Israel's governments a barely passing grade.

In any case, it is not at all clear whether more effort would have made any difference. The main obstacle to an early release of Pollard, who was sentenced to life imprisonment (which means at least 30 years), is the powerful and uncompromising opposition of the CIA, the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department toward any such proposal. Even if presidents like Clinton and George W. Bush leaned toward granting Israel's request for a presidential pardon for Pollard, this opposition took the wind out of their sails.

Eichmann on Jaffa Street?

Another book about Adolf Eichmann? What else can possibly be said about this well-known and overly regurgitated story? The author of "Hunting Eichmann," Neal Bascomb, told Haaretz that in fact he had not discovered anything new, certainly not, he said ironically, that the Mossad did not kidnap Eichmann.

Bascomb said just wanted to tell the whole story. Indeed, this American journalist produced an interesting and readable work, which relates the drama of the life and death of the chief bureaucrat of the Nazis' final solution.

Bascomb was assisted in the telling of the story by the memoirs of Mossad agents involved in Eichmann's capture, and in conversations with them. He located CIA documents that described the route the murderer took after World War II when he fled from Europe to Argentine with his wife Vera and their three children. He also utilized the personal journal that SS Obersturmfuehrer Eichmann wrote while in hiding in Buenos Aires.

Here are some of the fascinating nuggets that Bascomb collected: In March 1958, Kurt Weiss, an operative of the German intelligence agency, the BND, met in Munich with a counterpart from the CIA. It was an ordinary meeting for an exchange of information between the representatives of two friendly agencies.

Among other things, they discussed the Nazi war criminals that their governments were obligated to locate, arrest and put on trial. However, the organizations had not really done anything about it.

"We know, the German said, "that he has been hiding since 1952 in Argentina under the alias Clement. One of the rumors is that he is now living in Jerusalem."

The only secret, apparently, which has still not come to light is who was the first source (even before the blind, half-Jewish lawyer Lothar Hermann) who transmitted the information that Eichmann was hiding in Argentina under the name Ricardo Clement.

Eichmann's journal reveals that he had considered turning himself in to the German authorities in 1959. "I am tired of living the life of an anonymous wanderer, moving between two worlds," he wrote. "The voice of the heart is always whispering to me to seek tranquility. I would even live in peace with my former enemies. Perhaps this desire is part of the German character. I would gladly surrender to the German authorities... While I have no doubt that the German court would render a just verdict, I am not at all sure of the legal status that would be given today to someone who in the past took orders and whose obligation was to be loyal to his oath and carry out the orders he was given," he wrote.

Eichmann concludes, "I was a loyal, honest, just member in good conscience of the SS, and the security staff of the Reich. My inspiration came only from idealistic feelings toward the fatherland that it was my privilege to belong to."

And yet, he had doubts about the Nazi extermination machine.

"Despite examination of my conscience, I must say to my credit that I was not a murderer and not a mass murdered, unless, if to be honest and to accuse myself of involvement in murder because I carried and passed on expulsion orders I received, and because a small number of those deported were killed, although this was done by another unit."

Related articles:
  • Rightist party offers Jonathan Pollard top spot on Knesset list
  • Pollard sues Israel for failing to grant him financial assistance
  • PM says willing to cooperate with comptroller on Pollard affair
    • PROMOTION: Mamilla Hotel
    Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    IDF in demand
    More recruits interested in joining combat units in the wake of the high-profile war in Gaza
    Deadly honor
    Gaza father suspected of bludgeoning his daughter to death for owning a cell phone
      1.   A more relevant question to ask 06:40  |  Shimon Cleopas 26/03/09
      2.   Whiplash - Eichman & Pollard? 06:50  |  Mark of Lewiston 26/03/09
      3.   INVESTIGATION IS A SHAMEFUL SHAM 06:57  |  Justice4jp 26/03/09
      4.   Jonathan Pollard 08:34  |  JOHN 26/03/09
      5.   It`s a shame 09:10  |  Baruch Gold 26/03/09
      6.   POLLARED claimed Israel was being stabbed in the back 09:33  |  PETER SM 26/03/09
      7.   This is truly hilarious 11:02  |  RW 26/03/09
      8.   #5, Stop wondering -- Israel is America`s #1enemy 11:19  |  Michael A. Shoemaker 26/03/09
      9.   Jonathan Pollard. 11:25  |  Ana 26/03/09
      10.   SHOEMAKER. does your"logic"apply to all the other spies held.? 12:25  |  PETER SM 26/03/09
      11.   What is your problem 12:55  |  Phillip 26/03/09
      12.   #11 Amen 15:25  |  #11 26/03/09
      13.   More to this than meets the eye 15:36  |  Natallie Durson 26/03/09
      14.   Jonathan Pollard 15:38  |  George Miller 26/03/09
      15.   Pollard Spy for Israel 15:59  |  Denis C. Gray 26/03/09
      16.   How about a trade? 16:07  |  W 26/03/09
      17.   Samir Kuntar only spend 23 years in prison. 16:23  |  jack 26/03/09
      18.   Pollard Is Where He Should Be 16:38  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/03/09
      19.   Pollard is where he belongs 16:46  |  Michael N 26/03/09
      20.   Mark Twain and the Jews 16:56  |  Yo 26/03/09
      21.   # 1 CLEOPAS 16:59  |  zoe 26/03/09
      22.   # 1 CLEOPAS 16:59  |  zoe 26/03/09
      23.   YES! By all means... 17:12  |  Lickmann 26/03/09
      24.   Yo yo on Twain and Pollard 17:40  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/03/09
      25.   To Yaakov S from Yo Yo 17:56  |  Yo 26/03/09
      26.   Pollard 18:01  |  Naim S. Mahlab 26/03/09
      27.   US Damage Assessment: "POLLARD MADE ISRAEL TOO STRONG" 18:46  |  J4JP 26/03/09
      28.   Yo and Mark Twain 19:09  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/03/09
      29.   Ludicrous 20:54  |  David 26/03/09
      30.   POLLARED DBETRAYED HIS COUNTRY! 01:53  |  Ed 27/03/09
      31.   Pollard refused to renounce his american citizenship 03:15  |  American in NY 27/03/09
      32.   Pollard is the key to Pollard`s own freedom 03:53  |  binny 27/03/09
      33.   Dreifus once again 03:59  |  Vicci 27/03/09
      34.   to Yo #20 & 25 04:10  |  Gabriel 27/03/09
      35.   To Yo #20 & 25 04:19  |  Gabriel 27/03/09
      36.   Mr.Pollard Has Paid His Time and #30 on betrayal! 05:31  |  glenna 27/03/09
      37.   the real criminials are in dc who should have offered Israel the 05:38  |  glenna 27/03/09
      38.   33 Vicci - Emile Zola? NOT 07:17  |  Mark of Lewiston 27/03/09
      39.   AM in NY how many indeed? 08:21  |  PETER SM 27/03/09
      40.   How Pollard can get out of jail soon, and why he hasn`t yet 08:40  |  DJStahl 27/03/09
      41.   SULLIVAN You do not like paid traitors ? You must hate Vanunu. 09:43  |  PETER SM 27/03/09
      42.   to Gabriel and Sullivan 11:59  |  Stan 27/03/09
      43.   To Mark of Lewiston 12:08  |  Stan 27/03/09
      44.   Proof 14:21  |  helen 27/03/09
      45.   Stan - The Weinburger Memorandum 18:16  |  Mark of Lewiston 27/03/09
      46.   #11 Amen Again 07:39  |  John williams 29/03/09
      47.   Pollard`s info caused CIA agents to die 07:22  |  Dolores 19/06/09
      48.   A failure of inteeligence 08:28  |  howiej 19/06/09
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    hotel Jerusalem
    David Citadel Hotel, come stay at the finest of Jerusalem hotels.
    Master's Program in Desert Studies
    An innovative, multidisciplinary, international program specialized in Desert Research
    Dead Sea Cosmetics .Summer Specials
    Velvet Hand Cream just $14.90
    Handmade In Tel Aviv
    Itay Noy, Timepiece Maker
    ISRAEL ARMY SURPLUS STORE
    IDF insignia,Uniforms, Paladium Boots Watches, Israel Army T-shirts & Collectibles
    Dead Sea Salt Beauty and skin care
    From the Dead Sea Coupon cofe Haaretz for 10% off!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    More Headlines
    09:23 'Netanyahu freezes East Jerusalem construction'
    06:07 Settlers undermining legitimacy of Israel's existence
    02:43 IDF combat soldiers up requests for material on morals in war
    09:28 Gaza's smuggling tunnels feel effects of Israel-Egypt crackdown
    09:29 Why I will visit the Temple Mount on Tisha B'av
    05:23 Jerualem seculars accuse Mayor of selling out to Haredim
    04:22 Engineer at Israeli defense contractor probed over massive fraud
    00:15 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
    05:12 Alleged U.S. 'jihadist' who targeted Israel known as friendly store owner
    06:14 Report: Only 367 Muslim women in France wear full veil
    05:44 Ashkenazi school in Netivot rejects sons of 'X-ray rabbi'
    09:24 Netanyahu, U.S. Security Adviser meet on Iran, Mideast peace
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |
    | Israel 2009 election results | Makom: Engaging on Israel
    | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved