As Release of Israeli Spy Jonathan Pollard Appears Close, A Few Deeper Questions Worth Asking

As international speculation surfaced over the weekend over the possibility that Jonathan Pollard, convicted of espionage for giving U.S. military secrets to the Israeli government in exchange for money, could be paroled later this year, a rowdy argument has surfaced over what role, if any, a pending nuclear deal between the U.S., other world powers, and Iran may be playing in the case.

On Friday, the Wall Street Journal was the first to report that Pollard, who was given a thirty-year sentence after his conviction in 1987, could be released and quoted anonymous officials who indicated the move might be an attempt to “smooth relations with Israel” after the deal with Iran was announced earlier this month.  Israel has been outspoken in its opposition to the agreement and Pollard’s release has long been a cause celebre for pro-Israeli activists and nationalists who consider Pollard a hero for his actions.

Offering background on the Pollard case, Vox.com explains the story this way:

Following the WSJ‘s reporting on Friday, U.S. Justice Department officials denied that the possible release of Pollard—who is up for parole in November—has anything to do with the Iran deal. According to the DOJ, there has been no special consideration for Pollard in light of the nuclear deal and stated their position that Pollard should serve every day of his sentence.
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On Saturday, YNet News reported that Israeli officials have confirmed that Pollard is set to be released from US prison this year, but emphasized to the Israeli newspaper that this was unrelated to the recent deal signed between world powers and Iran.

Also on Saturday, however, Pollard’s ex-wife, Anne Pollard told Israel’s Channel 2 TV that “that there is no official word that Jonathan is being released on any date.” According to the Associated Press, however, Anne Pollard was openly advocating for the Israeli government to intervene on her ex-husband’s behalf so that he  could “hire a top, top-notch attorney” for his upcoming parole hearing.