Israel agrees to spy case probe
NZPA-Reuter Tel Aviv Israel has agreed to investigate the Jonathan Pollard spy scandal in an effort to ease tensions with the United States. The Inner Cabinet decided yesterday that a two-man commission would investigate before the Government resolves whether to act against the two Israelis who allegedly controlled Pollard. A Washington court last week sentenced Pollard, a former United States Navy intelligence analyst, to bje in prison for pass-
ing hundreds of secret documents to Israel. “We will let the commission carry out its work and we will act to strengthen ties and restore mutual trust between the United States and Israel,’’ said the Deputy Prime Minister, David Levy. State Radio said the 10member Inner Cabinet decision was unanimous, despite the opposition earlier this week of the Prime Minister, Yitzhak Shamir. Mr Shamir had said that the two accused
Israelis — a former spymaster, Rafi Eitan, and Air Force colonel, Aviem Sella — were already paying considerably by disclosures of their involvement. There was no immediate explanation for his change of heart.
A member of Parliament, Abba Eban, said his intelligence subcommittee would press ahead with its own investigation, beginning today with testimony from the Defence Minister, Yitzhak Rabin.
The two men selected for the Government com-
mission were a former Supreme Court president, Moshe Landau, aged 75, and a former Army chief-of-staff. General Zvi Zur, aged 64.
General Zur accepted but Mr Landau was initially hesitant for fear that the commission would not have adequate powers to force witnesses to appear or answer questions, political sources said.
Legal experts said the Inner Cabinet decision gave the commission the same independence but nqj the judicial authority
of the landmark official inquiry into the 1982 Beirut massacres.
That inquiry found the Defence Minister, Ariel Sharon, and other Israelis indirectly responsible for the killings by a Lebanese Christian militia of Palestinians at two refugee camps. Political sources said General Zur and Mr Landau were highly regarded and their findings were unlikely to be questioned. Mr Landau was a judge at the trial of the Nazi warcriminal, Adolf Eichmann, in I£6l. 4
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Press, 13 March 1987, Page 6
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353Israel agrees to spy case probe Press, 13 March 1987, Page 6
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