Pollard Attorney: Katsav Unresponsive
Jerusalem Post - October 20, 2000
Note:
With reference to this article, see Jonathan Pollard's Oct. 23, 2000 letter to Katsav, blasting the Israeli president for exacerbating the situation of an Israeli agent by spreading disinformation on his case.
Following a "disappointing" meeting with President Moshe Katsav, the lawyer for Jonathan Pollard yesterday complained that the president is ignoring Pollard's plight and not fulfilling his promise to be a "president for all the people."
Lawyer Larry Dub met with Katsav at Beit Hanassi last Thursday to urge the president to send a letter on behalf of the former US naval analyst convicted of spying for Israel, to US President Bill Clinton, requesting that he commute Pollard's sentence to time served.
"I expected Katsav to be a straight-thinking, take-charge type of person, who would act in the independent style that a president should act. To my dismay, I found him to be the contrary," Dub said. "He is afraid to take any initiative and afraid to do anything that may embarrass or go contrary to the government."
According to Dub, Katsav claimed to be unaware of the numerous attempts made by both the attorney and Pollard's wife to arrange a meeting, and denied that he had been contacted about the case by Knesset Members.
Dub said that he has been continually ignored by the president and was shocked by the insensitive behavior of Beit Hanassi Director General, Aryeh Shumer.
"I had made a request to meet with the president to Shumer... [and] he made a terse remark [in an official letter] telling me to see the president in his communal succah like everybody else," Dub said.
Shumer and the president's legal counsel also attended the half hour meeting.
One of Katsav's legal advisors declared that Prime Minister Ehud Barak would veto all initiative on behalf of Pollard, and advised the president against consulting Barak.
However, Katsav told Dub that he would consult with National security advisor Danny Yatom to see if there were any objections to sending a letter to Clinton.
A second legal advisor suggested that instead of working to have Pollard pardoned, Dub should seek to have Pollard transferred under the Exchange of Prisoners Treaty signed in 1999 which would allow him to serve the rest of his sentence in Israel. [J4JP Note: As an Israeli agent, Jonathan is not eligible for prisoner transfer, and the notion that his unjust sentence should be prolonged in this manner is morally reprehensible. See Jonathan Pollard's letter to Katsav.]
Dub said that he is still hopeful, despite the president's reluctance to intervene.
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