Spy Pollard’s Request For Clemency Rejected

President Clinton rejected a clemency plea from convicted spy Jonathan Pollard after more than 10 years in prison, citing the enormity of his crime, Pollard’s lack of remorse and the damage he caused U.S. security.

Friday’s decision was a blow to Israel and American Jewish groups, which had campaigned for his release from a life sentence. B’nai B’rith, the world’s largest Jewish organization, urged Clinton to reconsider, saying his decision was contrary to his record on humanitarian issues.

A one-time Navy analyst, Pollard was arrested outside the Israeli embassy in Washington in 1985 and convicted of espionage in 1986. He admitted selling Israel military intelligence documents, including satellite photographs and information on Arab military systems.

After Clinton’s decision was announced, Pollard’s wife Esther declared in Israel that she would stage a hunger strike “until death” for his release. She accused Israel’s new prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, of failing to fight hard enough for her husband’s freedom.

Pollard was granted Israeli citizenship this year in hopes that would improve chances for his release.

Acknowledging that Israeli leaders have raised Pollard’s case frequently at the White House, presidential spokesman Mike McCurry said he did not know whether Netanyahu brought up the case when he met Clinton this month in Washington.

It was third time since 1993 that Pollard’s requests for a presidential commutation was denied.

Pollard, currently held at the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, N.C., became eligible to apply for parole in 1995 but has withdrawn his application to see how his clemency appeal was received a Justice Department spokesman said.

Even if he renews the parole application, Pollard is considered unlikely to be granted parole soon. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies would oppose that as vigorously as they did the clemency bid.