U.S. Still Awaiting Israeli Cooperation on Spy Issue

Despite a carefully coordinated effort by top-level American and Israeli leaders to repair the diplomatic damage of the Pollard spy case, U.S. officials said Monday that Israel has not yet begun to keep its promise to cooperate with the U.S. criminal investigation.

One source who is familiar with the investigation said that the Israelis “are acting like they have something to hide--still.”

The United States is seeking permission to interrogate two Israeli diplomats who are believed to have been the “spy handlers” who supervised the activities of Jonathan J. Pollard, a civilian intelligence analyst for the U.S. Navy, who was charged last week with espionage for Israel. Washington also wants to recover all documents Pollard passed to Israel.

State Department spokesman Charles Redman said Monday that Israel has “assured” the U.S. government that it will “provide us access to the individuals who are knowledgeable about the case” and will return the documents. Although he insisted that the United States accepts the apology Israel offered Sunday, he implicitly confirmed that the requested cooperation has not yet begun.

A Blunter Comment

The source familiar with the investigation who asked not to be identified by name was much blunter.

“The cover-up could be worse than the substance,” he said. “With no access (to the two diplomats), the apology is just hollow.”

Meanwhile, Assistant FBI Director William Baker said that investigators want to talk to the Israeli diplomats because “we want all the facts in the case--all the information we can get.”

The U.S. foreign policy establishment clearly was determined to close the case quickly, perhaps to avoid causing political damage to Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres. U.S. policy-makers have not kept secret their preference for Peres and his centrist Labor Alignment over the Likud Bloc of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir.

“It’s a good, strong, clear affirmative statement,” Secretary of State George P. Shultz said Sunday, shortly after the Israeli Cabinet issued a formal apology.

Redman, who on Friday issued a scathing statement protesting Israeli foot-dragging, said Monday that relations were much improved.