In July, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee chatted with Jonathan J. Pollard, an American who was convicted of espionage on behalf of Israel, the New York Times reported recently.
Pollard is notable for being the only American to receive a life sentence for spying for an ally. He took the opportunity to speak with reporters, as the New York Times noted.
He previously worked as a U.S. naval analyst at the Department of Defense during the 1980s. Pollard was arrested in 1985 and later pleaded guilty after a failed attempt to seek asylum at the Israeli embassy in Washington, as CBS News pointed out.
“It was a friendly meeting,” Pollard told the New York Times. The White House, however, indicated they hadn’t been informed about the discussion.
Pollard was convicted in 1987 for passing classified documents to Israel. A “damage assessment” regarding his actions is expected to be carried out by the Foreign Refusal and Deception Analysis Committee under the CIA.
At the time of Pollard’s arrest, the Secretary of Defense stated that Pollard distributed enough documents for Israel to fill a considerable space and claimed that his actions caused significant harm to the U.S. by revealing intelligence sources, thereby jeopardizing the safety of U.S. forces.
Now 71, Pollard was paroled in 2015 after serving 30 years, thanks to extensive lobbying efforts on his behalf. He acquired Israeli citizenship while incarcerated and moved to Israel five years after his release. The New York Times reported that the Trump administration’s Department of Justice decided not to extend Pollard’s parole restrictions.
When Pollard arrived in Israel, he was warmly welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called Israel “home.” Pollard expressed gratitude, kissing the ground upon arrival, as noted by CBS.
Pollard has shown alignment with the Israeli right and, according to the Jerusalem Post, announced plans to run for parliament. In various interviews, he expressed support for annexing Gaza and advocating for Israeli settlers in the region.
He asserted that his loyalties lie with “the land of Israel and the people of Israel without exception.” Pollard also stated, “Just as some members of the Trump administration profess an ‘America first’ policy, I wholeheartedly support the ‘Israel first’ policy.” He indicated that he spent three decades in prison for his beliefs.
Pollard told the New York Times that he harbors no regrets about his actions, insisting that the U.S. had ceased sharing intelligence with Israel. He characterized Trump as “a madman who literally sold us down the drain for Saudi money.”
Pollard mentioned that he sought a meeting with Huckabee to express his appreciation for Huckabee’s efforts in advocating for his release from U.S. custody, as reported by the Times of Israel, citing an interview with i24News.
As of the time of publication, the U.S. Embassy in Israel did not respond to a request for comment regarding the meeting.
