Israel Matzav

'I gave the order to turn Pollard away from the embassy' and Rabin and Peres knew

In an interview to be broadcast on Monday night on Israel's Channel 2, Rafi Eitan, who was Jonathan Pollard's 'handler' within the Israeli government admits that he gave the order to turn Jonathan Pollard and his then-wife Anne away from the Israeli embassy in Washington on November 21, 1985. Eitan also says that Yitzchak Rabin and Shimon Peres knew all about Pollard.

You received a phone call in real time that Pollard and his wife are here at the gate, what to do?

Rafi Eitan: Yes. I got the news that he was standing at the embassy.

What do you say to yourself?

I immediately say, 'Throw him out'. I have no regrets.

When I'm in a battle, and it’s life or death, I have to decide yes or no. I decide according to what is required at that moment. I make a decision based on the interests of the State of Israel, you cannot let any other thought interfere with the decision the moment you make it, had I not done it the situation would have been much worse.

In the interview, Eitan says that he knew about Pollard’s impending arrest three days before the arrest. That very night he goes, according to his testimony, to Prime Minister Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and tells them that the arrest is about to happen. He says the prime minister and defense minister were aware even before this incident that Israel operates agents in the United States military.

You know that part of their action plan would be to also sacrifice you?

I suggest ahead of time that they sacrifice me, I say at the outset, I take all the responsibility, I gave the order, only I gave the order, no one authorized me to do so. Just me. No one gave me an order, I initiated it all alone. I am responsible, I tell them in advance.

But there was an incident here, it still exists, is affects the relations between Israel and the United States.

True, but nobody asked who is responsible. Everyone knew who was in charge, who initiated, who did what - only I am responsible.

Now you can tell us, Rabin is no longer with us, Shimon Peres, he has already finished his last public position, do the prime minister and defense minister know that Israel has American agents inside the U.S. Army?

I do not want to answer that, because as soon as I answer this, there will be headlines in the newspapers.

From your answer I can understand.

You can understand.

They knew?

Obviously...I never lied to my government.

I don't just think he's wrong morally - I think he's wrong politically. If Israel had 'owned' Pollard when it happened, we wouldn't still have this scandal 29 years later, and Pollard wouldn't still be rotting away in jail.

Labels: Jonathan Pollard, Rafi Eitan, Shimon Peres, Yitzchak Rabin

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:14 AM