Pollard and AIPAC

Found an interesting article on the Pollard case today in the Jerusalem Post.

For Pollard, who expected to be protected by Israel if caught, it is the treatment he has received from the Israeli government that surprises and disturbs him more than the harsh and disproportionate punishment that he has received from US authorities. "I had two particularly memorable terrible days since I was arrested. The first was when the FBI showed me transcripts of statements that Israeli officials made shortly after my arrest. It was clear that the Mossad had three goals. They wanted to put all the blame on the Office for Information Links and Rafi Eitan, they wanted to protect AIPAC at all costs and they wanted to bury me. It was the Mossad that was the source of all the disinformation about me and my character. The lies that I used cocaine and was a mercenary, selling secrets to countries other than Israel, it all came from them.

What's similar to today is that AIPAC as an organization must have its reputation defended at all costs. One (or two) individuals are expendable. What's different though is the stature of the people involved. Pollard was a very low level intelligence staffer. He was passing secrets, but had no real connection to politics or AIPAC. Rosen and Weissman were at the top levels of power within AIPAC. Pollard may have a lot bitterness that they didn't protect him, but there's little he can do about it. Rosen and Weissman, however, could potentially be dangerous (though I doubt they will be, since their legal jeopardy is likely to be a lot less severe).