Jonathan Pollard

Jonathan Pollard, born on August 7, 1954, is a controversial figure in the realm of espionage, known for his role as an American-born Israeli spy and former intelligence analyst. In 1984, he engaged in espionage activities that included selling numerous state secrets to Israel, notably the National Security Agency's comprehensive manual on signal intelligence gathering. His actions also involved disclosing the identities of thousands who had cooperated with U.S. intelligence agencies.

Pollard's espionage came to an end in 1985 when he was apprehended. Following his arrest, he entered a plea deal, admitting guilt to charges of spying for Israel and providing top-secret classified information. His activities extended beyond Israel, as he acknowledged attempting to sell his services to other nations. In 1987, he was sentenced to life imprisonment under the Espionage Act, a decision that sparked significant debate and controversy.

The Israeli government partially acknowledged its involvement in Pollard's actions in 1987, issuing a formal apology to the United States, although it did not admit to compensating him until 1998. Throughout his imprisonment, various Israeli officials, U.S.-Israeli activist groups, and some American politicians lobbied for a reduction of his sentence. Pollard defended his actions by claiming that the U.S. intelligence community had jeopardized Israel's security by withholding vital information.

Opposition to any clemency for Pollard came from numerous high-profile U.S. officials, including Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney, who argued that the damage caused by his espionage was far-reaching and severe. Despite Pollard's assertions that he only provided information critical to Israel's security, critics contended that he could not ascertain what legitimate information Israel had received and that much of the data he compromised was unrelated to Israeli security.

In 1995, Pollard was granted Israeli citizenship while still incarcerated. He was released from prison on November 20, 2015, in accordance with federal guidelines, and his parole expired on November 20, 2020. Following his release, Pollard and his second wife moved to Israel, settling in Jerusalem. Since relocating, he has publicly supported far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and has advocated for the relocation of Gaza's Palestinians to Ireland.