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Jonathan Pollard
Photo: AP
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Pensioners' Party leader Rafi Eitan
Photo: Gil Yohanan

Pollard: Eitan abandoned me

Spy serving life sentence in U.S. for passing classified military intelligence to Israel petitions High Court of Justice to block appointment of his former handler, Pensioners party leader Rafi Eitan as minister

Jonathan Pollard, serving a jail sentence for passing U.S. military secrets to Israel, petitioned the Israeli High Court of Justice to block the appointment of Pensioners party leader and former Mossad agent Rafi Eitan as minister.

 

Eitan was Pollard's handler when he was arrested by U.S. authorities in 1986.

 

In the petition, Pollard argued that Eitan's appointment is illegal since he had "forfeited" and "betrayed" him when he was arrested for spying for Israel.

 

Pollard also asked the court to investigate Eitan's "recklessness" in choosing to operate an American Jewish spy on American soil.

 

"It is unheard of in the state of Israel that an officer recruits a soldier, uses him and forfeits him. An officer like this cannot serve as minister in Israel," the petition read.

 

Pollard said Eitan acted "unethically" when he abandoned him and assisted U.S. authorities in putting him on trial.

 

"As a result of Eitan's actions, Pollard was locked in an American cell while Eitan is free, doing business across the world, and now seeking to fill a top national post as a minister in the Israeli government. A man of the kind is unworthy and cannot be a minister," the petition read.

 

The petition stated that Eitan had not set foot in the United States since Pollard's arrest and his appointment as government minister is nothing but a muleta waved in the Americans' face.

 

Lawyers representing Pollard said the article stating Eitan's appointment as minister in the coalition agreement signed between Kadima and the Pensioners' party is invalid.

 

"The minute the High Court rules against his appointment the article will be invalid. We have argued that he is unfit to be appointed minister. A minister in the State of Israel has to be responsible for the lives of its citizens and its agents. He is supposed to do everything to make their lives and conditions easier, that's his job. If Eitan was unable to be responsible for one agent and forfeited him to the Americans, how can he act responsibly in a ministerial position," lawyers said.

 

Pollard said Eitan had told him that he will not save him and should he make claims that he was recruited by Israeli agents, Israel will deny.

 

Pollard argued that Eitan possesses documents which he has been refusing to handover to the Americans and Israeli authorities for 21 years. Lawyers say the document consists of a list of all files Pollard related to the Israelis during his service and "had Eitan given the Americans the document, they would have closed the case knowing that Israel is cooperating."

 

"Eitan's behavior which has been detailed above, although not a criminal offense, is extreme enough to ban him from serving as minister," read the petition.

 


פרסום ראשון: 05.01.06, 15:25
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