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Signals On Pollard
JAMES D. BESSER
Washington Correspondent
T
Organizations, including executive
vice chair Malcolm Hoenlein, chair-
man Ronald Lauder, American Jewish
Congress director Phil Baum, and
Seymour Reich, a longtime supporter
of clemency. The last two head an
interagency task force on Pollard.
"Anybody who suggests an effort to
release Pollard would affect U.S.-Israel
relations, particularly with respect to
aid, just doesn't understand the
strength of that rela-
tionship," Reich said.
"While Pollard may
be an irritant to some,
the case will not affect
aid."
he Barak government's
point man in the Jonathan
Pollard matter was in
Washington and New York
last week to sound out Jewish organi-
zations. And the sound he heard was
distinctly mixed.
In New York, Jewish leaders urged
continued strong
action on behalf of
Pollard's release, but
Jewish activists in
Washington counseled
caution because of
fears such a push
could jeopardize other
high-priority items on
the Israel agenda.
Contrary to reports
in the Israeli press,
Moshe Kochanovs
the deputy director for
special affairs at the
Ministry of Defense,
was not here to con-
duct high-level negoti- Jonathan Pollard
ations over Pollard's
release. Several close
observers said Kochanovsky and
Yoram Ben-Zev, a deputy director-
general of the Foreign Ministry, got an
earful.
"They heard a lot of concern about
how a public push on the Pollard issue
could impact any attempt to get new
aid for Israel, or to help with meeting
Israel's new defense needs," said one
participant.
Pro-Israel leaders are already lining
up their troops for the expected fight
over a huge economic and military aid
package to accompany any Syrian-
Israeli peace agreement; public action
on the Pollard front, they warned,
could complicate things.
"There is not much sympathy for
(Pollard) among the congressional
leaders who will play a very important
role in these discussions," said the par-
ticipant, adding that military and
intelligence officials — the group
most vehemently opposed to Pollard's
release — will also play a role in dis-
cussions about meeting Israel's chang-
ing security needs.
The tone was different in New
York, where Kochanovsky met with
the top leaders of the Conference of
Presidents of Major American Jewish
Pushing Syria
This week the White
House began what
sources here say will
be an intensive effort
to solidify Jewish and
congressional support
for an active U.S. role
in the Syrian-Israel
negotiations.
Those talks are due
to resume after the
New Year's holiday at Shephards-town,
W.Va., about an hour's drive from
Washington, after a cool but produc-
tive initial session last week.
Jewish leaders were briefed in a
White House conference call on
Monday.
National Security Adviser Sandy
Berger is also beginning rounds of
calls to lawmakers and Jewish leaders,
explaining the U.S. role in the talks.
The effort is intended to counter
anti-peace process groups, which are
already trying to preempt the addition-
al foreign aid that most observers say is
an inevitable element in any Israel-
Syrian deal -- although most scoff at
the $100 billion figure being tossed
around by peace process opponents.
Downplaying Aid
Officials here are downplaying all the
talk about huge new aid packages,
although more aid inevitably will be a
part of the equation if and when Israel
comes to terms with Syria and the
Palestinians.
"If an agreement is reached we had
better be prepared to take out our
checkbooks," said Richard Haass, the
director of foreign policy studies at the