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Republicans such as former Sen.
Alfonse D'Amato and Mayor Rudolph
Giuliani, Ms. Clinton's expected rival
in next year's Senate contest.
These activists have done everything
in their power to portray Ms. Clinton
as anti-Israel, even anti-Semitic.
Is their public demand that she go
to bat for Pollard a genuine effort to
help him or just part of the intensi
ing effort to taint Ms. Clinton with
Jewish voters? Do their demands put
real pressure on the administration to
rethink the Pollard matter or do they
make it all but impossible for
President Clinton to release Pollard
before November 2000?

The squeeze on
Hillary could
hurt Pollard's
chances.

Consider this: Clinton's army of
bitter opponents would seize on
Pollard's release as willingness to put
personal politics above national securi-
ty. Support for Pollard's release in
Congress, always restrained, would
evaporate.
In contrast, the First Lady faced no
risk this summer in declaring support
for an undivided Jerusalem as Israel's
eternal capital. This echoed her hus-
band's campaign promises (but seem-
ingly conflict with his actions in office).
If pundits attributed Ms. Clinton's
remarks to pandering, so what? Most
politicians, including some who
couldn't find Israel on a map, pander
on what they see as symbolic pro-
Israel issues, such as Jerusalem.
But releasing a convicted spy under
these conditions would risk a political
firestorm and possible backlash against
Israel. It's hard to imagine that the
savvy New York politicians calling for
a pro-Pollard squeeze on Ms. Clinton
are unaware of that reality.
So once again, Pollard may be a
victim of his friends, a pawn in some-
one else's game. And once again he
will be given false hope and an incor-
rect message — that he is the victim
of outside forces, not his own unfortu-
nate choices.
Tragically, he still seems to haves
more value in jail than out to some
who have trumpeted his cause.

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