WASHINGTON -- The White House has asked the government's top law enforcement and intelligence officials and key Cabinet members to recommend by early next month whether President Clinton should grant clemency to Jonathan Pollard, the former Navy analyst convicted of spying for Israel, administration officials said on Wednesday.
In a sign that Clinton may decide quickly if he should give in to Israeli pressure to release Pollard, the White House counsel, Charles Ruff, has sent a letter to Attorney General Janet Reno, Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Defense Secretary William Cohen, asking for their views on the Pollard case by Jan. 11.Tenet has already made clear his fierce opposition to clemency for Pollard. In the past, the Justice, Defense and State Departments have joined the CIA in opposing clemency.
A White House spokesman, David Leavy, cautioned that while Clinton planned to make a final decision on the case in a "timely manner," he had not set a deadline.
The president is scheduled to travel to Israel and Gaza this month to discuss the Middle East peace effort in separate meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. He seems likely to be confronted with further questions from the Israelis about the Pollard case during his visit.
The case became a central issue in the peace talks held at the Wye Plantation in Maryland in October. On the last of nine days of strenuous negotiations, Netanyahu demanded Pollard's release in exchange for his support for an agreement.
But Tenet, reflecting the views of the intelligence community, strongly opposed Pollard's release and made it clear to the president he would resign if Clinton gave in to the Israeli demand, according to several administration officials.
In the end, Clinton rejected Netanyahu's demand and instead agreed only to review the case again.
Pollard was arrested in 1985 after spying for Israel for at least 18 months. In 1987, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.