Israel Apologizes to U.S. in Spy Case : Shultz Welcomes Promised Probe in Pollard Affair

Secretary of State George P. Shultz welcomed Israel’s promise of a full investigation into the Pollard spy case Sunday and said he is now satisfied that the Israeli government will cooperate on the issue.

“It’s a good, strong, clear affirmative statement,” Shultz told reporters accompanying him to a meeting in Colombia of the Organization of American States.

Last week, a State Department spokesman expressed dismay over what he described as Israel’s refusal to aid the U.S. investigation of the case, in which Jonathan J. Pollard, a Navy intelligence analyst, has been accused of passing military secrets to Jerusalem.

But Shultz said there had been considerable discussion between U.S. and Israeli officials during the last few days, and he suggested that Sunday’s Israeli Cabinet statement came as a result.

Authoritative Response

Asked whether the statement carried more weight than earlier Israeli assurances (some of which were violated, officials said, when authorities in Jerusalem recalled two diplomats who had reportedly served as Pollard’s contacts in the United States), Shultz nodded in affirmation.

“This statement is a Cabinet statement, taken on full deliberation, and I haven’t the slightest doubt about their intent to carry forward on it,” he said, adding, “I think it’s an excellent statement, and we’re satisfied by it.”

Shultz said he has been assured by both Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin that they were unaware of any spy operation against the United States.

Support on Capitol Hill

The Israeli apology won praise from members of the Senate Intelligence Committee and two former directors of the CIA, but they all urged Israel to permit questioning of two of its diplomats who are believed to have received secret U.S. information.

The two, science attache Ilan Ravid at the embassy in Washington and Yosef Yagur, science attache at the New York Consulate General, were recalled to Israel after Pollard was arrested Nov. 21 on suspicion of supplying the Israelis with classified material. Sunday’s Cabinet statement from Israel promised punishment of those responsible but did not specifically respond to the demand in Washington that the diplomats be made available for interrogation by U.S. officials.

Moynihan Lauds Apology

“A handsome apology,” was the description of Israel’s statement by Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-N.Y.), former vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, commenting on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Nevertheless, Moynihan called on the Peres government to “get those documents back and to give us access to those two people.”

Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), now vice chairman of the committee, appearing on the same program, warned of “unnecessary strain between two countries that are closely allied” if Israel should refuse to allow interrogation of the attaches. “They should cooperate and get it over with as soon as possible.”

Ex-CIA Chief Tolerant

Richard M. Helms, CIA director from 1965 to 1973, took a tolerant view of Israel’s actions in an appearance on ABC’s “This Week With David Brinkley,” saying that “espionage is not played by the Marquess of Queensberry rules, and the only sin in espionage is getting caught.” The only surprise for him, Helms said, was that it took Israel a week to apologize.

William E. Colby, CIA director in the mid-1970s, interviewed on “Meet the Press,” also expressed comprehension of Israel’s spying on its principal ally and conceded that Washington might do the same “if we need it badly enough.” Colby said he could believe Israel’s claim that the prime minister and other high officials were not personally aware of the Pollard operation until it was exposed.

Doyle McManus reported from the Cayman Islands and Don Shannon from Washington.