Minister Eitan denies accusation by Pollard

Dan Izenberg - The Jerusalem Post - June 11, 2006

Rafi Eitan, the Minister in charge of Pensioners' Affairs, on Sunday denied allegations by Jonathan Pollard that he had done nothing to help him after he was arrested by US authorities for spying for Israel.

The allegations came in a petition by Pollard asking the High Court of Justice to rule that Eitan was unsuitable to serve in the cabinet. In his response to the petition, Eitan and his lawyer, Yoram Alroi, wrote that Eitan and the two other Israeli officials involved in the intelligence affair, Aviam Sela and Yosef Yagur, were back in Israel when Pollard was arrested.

After the arrest, Eitan wrote, he was summoned by then-Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin and told to keep away from the affair and allow those authorized by Rabin to handle the matter. Eitan also strenuously denied Pollard's claim that he was in possession of a document, which could save Pollard, who is serving a life sentence for espionage.

Eitan wrote that "I am not in possession of any document or facsimile connected to the Pollard case and do not know of any document which could save him."


  • See Also: The Israeli Court Petition Page