In his July 22, 1999 letter to Prime Minister Barak, Jonathan Pollard's attorney, Larry Dub, asks the prime minister to clarify how he intends to seek the release of Jonathan Pollard.
Dub enumerates the conventional methods that have repeatedly failed over the last 14 years including humanitarian appeals, judicial appeals, executive clemency, and presidential review.
Dub points out that it was the late Prime Minister Rabin who first linked Jonathan Pollard's release to the peace process in 1995 when all the other conventional methods repeatedly proved futile.
"If your government now insists that Jonathan Pollard no longer be linked to the peace process, and since none of the above (conventional methods) are options, please advise us," Dub asks, "on what exactly are you basing your 'quiet diplomacy' initiative to free Jonathan Pollard?"
A copy of Larry Dub's letter follows:
Prime Minister Ehud Barak
Government of Israel
Jerusalem, Israel.
[Translated from Hebrew]
Dear Prime Minister Barak,
As you are aware, I represent Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard, who is serving his 14th year of a life sentence in an American prison for service to Israel. As we have had no contact with you or your office since you were elected prime minister, I am writing to request clarification of the following 3 points:
1. On what basis are you seeking the release of Jonathan Pollard?
The American Justice system has failed Jonathan Pollard at every step
of the way ever since it violated his plea agreement and imposed an
unprecedented life sentence upon him. Every legal avenue of appeal
since then has been exhausted or subverted, including any possibility
of parole.
The only submissions that have been presented to this so-called
presidential review process have been from the Justice, Defense and
Intelligence agencies who all have vested interests in opposing the
release of Jonathan Pollard.
The President has turned down every request for executive clemency that
my client has ever made, including one request before it had even been
submitted.
It was the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin who first linked Jonathan Pollard to the peace process in October of 1995, when it was apparent that all of the above conventional methods for seeking Pollard's release had repeatedly failed.
If your government now insists that Jonathan Pollard no longer be linked to the peace process, and since none of the above are options, please advise us, on what exactly are you basing your "quiet diplomacy" initiative to free Jonathan Pollard?
2. When is the Prime Minister planning to report to Mr. Pollard's wife and his attorney regarding his status and the disposition of his case in Washington?
3. When can Mr. Pollard expect new liaison officials to be appointed in Jerusalem and in Washington so that direct contact with the current government can be established?
Given the urgency of the situation your immediate response is requested.
Very truly yours,
Larry Dub Esq.