KNESSET STUDY FINDS PERES MOST TO BLAME IN POLLARD AFFAIR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000504370001-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 3, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: May 27, 1987
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Si Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/03: CIA-RDP90-00965R000504370001-5
ARTICLE APFffIff
WASHINGTON TIMES
ON PAGE 27 May 1987
World
Knesset study finds Peres most to
blame in Pollard affair
Andrew Meisels
WWAHMTON TIMES
JERUSALEM - A parliamentary
committee last night blamed For-
eign Minister Shimon Peres more
than other leaders for the Pollard
spy scandal that strained Israel's re-
lationship with the United States.
The Intelligence Subcommittee of
the KneSSet. Israel's r iament_
accented "beyond ?uea ion" the Qov-
ernment's contention that it did not
know of the recruitment of Jonathan
and Anne Henderson-Pollard.
But it said the affair was not
purely a "rogue operation" and that
those who had activated the Pollards
were government employees acting
with government approval.
The subcommittee's report says
Mr. Peres, as "first among equals" in
the government at the time the Pol-
lards were apprehended, must bear
the main responsibility.
It also says Defense Minister Yitz-
hak Rabin bears direct ministerial
responsibility because he did not see
to it that proper supervision was ex-
ercised over the Scientific Liaison
Bureau - Lekem - that operated
the Pollards.
Commenting on the report, Mr.
Rabin said the subcommittee was a
"political body" and that its findings
were "not relevent." But the subcom-
mittee is equally divided between
the Labor Party of Mr. Rabin and Mr.
Peres and the Likud Party. Its
chairman, Abba Eban, is himself a
member of Labor.
Mr. Peres, for his part, said he was
prepared to accept responsibility for
anything that was done in the 25 Rafi Eitan, former head of Lekem;
months that he was prime minister. Israeli Air Force Lt. Col. Aviem Sela,
Earlier in the day, a separate judi- who was the Pollards' handler in
W
ashington; and Menachem Meron,
cial commission issued a report say-
ing the government as a whole must then director-general of the Defense
take responsibility for the affair. Ministry.
This report, issued by a two-man ju- Lt. Col. Sela, the subcommittee's
dicial body named by the govern- report says, showed "a lack of judg-
ment before the parliamentary in- ment in the affair and was "not
vestigation was started, is the one accurate in his testimony before the
likely to be adopted by the cabinet. group.
"The mountain was really a mole- About 12 hours before the sub-
hill, and the earth did not y move," committee's report was submitted,
mission consisting of veteran at-
Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir said torney Yehosuhua Rotetstreich and
in commenting on both reports. former Israeli Army Chief of Staff
Pollard, 32, an American Jew, was Zvi Tzur was given to the govern-
sentenced in Washington to life in ment.
prison last March for selling hun- That report is less critical of Isra-
dreds of classified U.S. military doc- el's leadership. Commentators said
uments to Israel in 1984 and 1985 its submission in advance of the
while employed as a civilian U.S. Eban report was not coincidental
Navy analyst. His wife, Anne, was it says Mr Arens aft4 Mn' 1Lfin
sentenced to five years. were equally responsible for the
Pollard said the "highest eche- lack of supervision of the Pollard
lons"of the Israeli government were Operation but that neither iftW of
aware of his spy activities. Israeli the espionage, Israel radio reported.
leaders denied it. The two-man commission con_
In a separate section of the parlia- cluded that "the entire government
mentary report, the three Likud is obliged to accept responsibility
members of the subcommittee said for all of the mistakes"
Mr. Peres had given "misleading" It said Mr. Eitan acted "too inde-
testimony. The Labor members said pendently" as head of Lekem. It
Mr. Peres had testified "in inno- criticized Mr. Eitan's subsequent ap.
cence;' without knowing the full pointment as chairman of the board
facts. of the Israel Chemicals Corp., say-
The subcommittee as a whole also ing it was "insensitive, to say the
criticized Prime Minister Shamir, of least" That appointment was made
the Likud, noting that he was a mem- by Minister Ariel Sharon of the
ber of the government and of the Likud.
Inner Cabinet throughout the affair. Both of the reports contain classi-
The subcommittee scored Moshe fied sections. The secret section of
Arens, who was defense minister the Rotenstreich-Tzur report takes
when the Pollards were recruited; up 45 pages.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/03: CIA-RDP90-00965R000504370001-5