Media Release - Larry Dub Writes to Barak
The "quiet diplomacy" that you allude to as if it were on-going is nothing more than a "fig leaf" meant to appease Israeli public opinion. It does nothing to fool the American administration. Since the Wye Accords, it is clear that there is no longer any place for "quiet diplomacy" in this case, but only for direct negotiation between yourself and Mr. Clinton...
The text of the latest Larry Dub letter (Sept. 22, 1999) to Prime Minister Barak follows. In this letter Dub rejects Barak's latest attempt to again inject a non-relevant official into the case - particularly one who has already previously resigned from the case because he realized that he does not have the authority or the standing in Washington necessary to resolve it! Dub dismisses the "fig leaf" of quiet diplomacy, and reminds the prime minister that since Wye the issue of Jonathan Pollard's release now rests squarely and exclusively between Prime Minister Barak and President Clinton.
(The letter is a translation of the original Hebrew letter.)
September 22, 1999
To Prime Minister Ehud Barak
c/o Mr. Avner Loshee
Assistant to the Prime Minister
Dear Prime Minister Barak,
Re: Your September 21, 1999 response to my letter of July 28, 1999
The low regard that you have for your Israeli agent, Jonathan Pollard, is apparent in your suggestion that General Moshe Kochanovsky, Head of Special Operations for the Ministry of Defense, handle the Pollard file.
General Kochanovsky was originally appointed to the case in May of 1997, as a result of our Supreme Court petition number 2633/97. He resigned in January of 1998, when he came to the conclusion that he does not have the authority nor the standing in Washington necessary to secure the release of my client. (A copy of General Kochavovsky's letter of resignation follows.)
Be advised that in a recent meeting between my client's wife and Mr. Binyamin Netanyahu, the former prime minister personally assured Mrs. Pollard that President Bill Clinton committed to release her husband as an integral part of the Wye Accords. Mr. Netanyahu also assured Mrs. Pollard that you had been fully briefed on the matter. Even after Mr. Clinton backed down publicly, there was still a verbal understanding between the two leaders that Pollard would go free later, parallel with the release of Palestinian security prisoners.
The deal for Jonathan Pollard's release still exists. It can only be implemented by the leaders of both nations today, namely yourself and Mr. Clinton. Hence yours is the only name, Mr. Barak, that appears as the respondent in our recent petition to the High Court of Justice (submitted 07/09/99). It is disgraceful that an Israeli agent has had to turn to the courts to force you to accept responsibility for securing his release. This is a responsibility that devolves exclusively upon you as Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.
Be aware that Mr. Clinton recently used his constitutional powers to free 16 Puerto Rican terrorists in spite of strong opposition from the CIA, the FBI, Congress, and all of the Defense and Intelligence agencies. These terrorists were responsible for the death of 6 Americans and for 130 bombings in the United States. Clinton freed them in an apparent attempt to increase his wife's chances with the Puerto Rican community in the New York Senate race. The president proved beyond a doubt that when he has a personal interest and wants to release prisoners, he does not pay any attention to his government advisors or to what CIA Chief George Tenet says.
The "quiet diplomacy" that you allude to as if it were on-going is nothing more than a "fig leaf" meant to appease Israeli public opinion. It does nothing to fool the American administration. Since the Wye Accords, it is clear that there is no longer any place for "quiet diplomacy" in this case but only for direct negotiation between yourself and Mr. Clinton. I would therefore request that you refrain from any further attempts to interject non-relevant persons into the case at this critical time.
I am certain that the moment that you and Mr. Clinton enter into serious discussion of my client's release, Jonathan Pollard will immediately be returned home to the land and people of Israel, for whom he has spent the last 14 years of his life in an American prison.
Very truly yours
Larry Dub.