PM says willing to cooperate with comptroller on Pollard affair (?!)

Tomer Zarchin, Haaretz Correspondent - May 19, 2008

J4JP Comment

How cynical! Olmert's offer of "co-operation" is simply a restatement of his original position. This "co-operation" does not include Olmert's own involvement in the investigation. He still refuses to be deposed in person; is not willing to meet with the State Comptroller; and will not respond to questions in person. The only "cooperation" Olmert is extending is to send his lackeys (Oved Yechezkel, and Shalom Turjeman) to lie for him. As before, Olmert will allow Lindenstrauss to submit any remaining questions to his office for response (by professional liars). In other words, no change at all in the PM's actual position. The ball is now in Lindenstrauss' court.

* * *

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday reneged on his previous statements and said he was willing to cooperate with State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss on the Jonathan Pollard affair.

Pollard, a civilian intelligence analyst for the U.S. Navy, was convicted of selling military secrets to Israel while working at the Pentagon. He was arrested in 1985 and pleaded guilty at his trial. He is serving a

life sentence

in a U.S. federal prison. [J4JP: Haaretz has repeatedly been asked by Pollard's attorneys to stop recycling lies. Jonathan Pollard did NOT sell secrets to Israel. As an agent, he simply passed the information to Israel. See

this article

 for details. Moreover, Pollard never had a trial. His life sentence was the result of a plea agreement which he honored and the US abrogated. See the

Executive Summary of Legal Initiatives

 for more information.]

The prime minister on Monday told MK Zevulun Orlev, head of the Knesset's State Control Committee which oversees the workings of the state comptroller, that Cabinet Secretary Ovad Yehezkel and his political advisor, Shalom Turjeman, have already given the comptroller all the information that was at the government's disposal regarding the case.

However, the prime minister added, he would cooperate in addressing any remaining questions in writing and would disclose further material if needed.

A few months ago, Lindenstrauss started compiling a report on whether Israel has been doing everything within its capacity to ensure the release of the jailed spy.

Lindenstrauss then criticized Olmert in what could be construed as accusing him of creating the impression that the inquiry into the government's conduct in the affair puts Pollard's potential release at risk.

Lindenstrauss said then: "If I'm wrong I'll be the first to admit it, and I wish I am, but someone here is behaving in a shady manner."

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