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| By Associated Press April 16, 2006 |
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Israel is ready to free a top Palestinian uprising leader in exchange for the release of Jonathan Pollard, the former Pentagon analyst convicted of spying for Israel, Army Radio reported Sunday.
The report said Israel is seeking U.S. support for the proposal to release Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences in Israel for masterminding deadly attacks, in return for Pollard's freedom. Pollard is serving a life sentence in a U.S. federal prison for selling military secrets to Israel in the 1980s.
The report said the deal has been proposed by officials in Israel's Foreign Ministry. The ministry declined comment, and U.S. Embassy spokesman Stewart Tuttle called the report "ridiculous speculation."
"As far as I know, it has no basis in reality," Tuttle said.
Army Radio quoted Israeli security officials as saying that the release of Barghouti, a leading figure in Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party, could help Fatah wrestle power back from the Islamic militant group Hamas and restore stability on the Palestinian street.
Hamas defeated Fatah in January legislative elections, and its new government took office two and a half weeks ago. In light of Hamas' election, the United States, Europe and Israel have broken off ties and stopped transferring money to the Palestinian government.
Pollard was working as a civilian naval analyst for the Pentagon when he was arrested in 1985, and pleaded guilty. His case remains a sticking point in U.S.-Israel relations, and Israel has repeatedly lobbied American presidents for his pardon. Since Pollard's sentencing, Israel has granted him citizenship.
Pollard's wife, Esther, told Army Radio that an official close to U.S. President George W. Bush had recommended to him that Pollard be released by the Jewish holiday of Passover, which began last week. She did not identify the official, or say whether she knew of any agreement.
Last month's election of Pollard's former handler, Rafi Eitan, to the Israeli parliament has drawn new attention to his plight. Eitan has said he would like to see Pollard go free, while defending the original espionage operation.
Pollard suffered a setback last month in the U.S. Supreme Court. Pollard's lawyers wanted the justices to reopen his case, so that they could pursue secret documents the government submitted to the judge who sentenced Pollard in 1987.
In January, Israel's Supreme Court refused to grant Pollard the title of Prisoner of Zion, which would required the government to do all it can to get him released. The status was originally created for Jewish activists imprisoned in the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 80s.
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