NEW YORK: The Obama administration is preparing to release convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard from prison, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing US officials. Some of them hope the move will smooth relations with Israel in the wake of the Iran nuclear deal.

Such a decision would end a decades long fight over Mr Pollard, who was arrested on charges of spying for Israel in 1985 and later sentenced to life in prison.

The case has long been a source of tension between the US and Israel, which has argued that a life sentence for spying on behalf of a close partner is too harsh. Israel has for years sought Mr. Pollard’s early release, only to be rejected by the US Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing foi his release over the last decade.

The US has considered releasing him before but always backed away from such a move, largely because of opposition from senior leaders at the Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2015

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