Clinton, according to
Netanyahu and his closest advisors, agreed to the condition.
Netanyahu explained to him that this gesture would help him to get the support from his
constituents for the painful part of the agreement he expected to sign - continuation of
the withdrawal from the territories. 'Bibi went to Wye knowing that Clinton would
immediately release Pollard with the signing of the agreement with the Palestinians,' the
advisors of the departing prime minister said this week.
During the course of the Wye summit the matter of Pollard was discussed several times
between Clinton and Netanyahu. There were only a few in on the great secret: ministers
Sharon, Mordechai and Sharansky. At the end of the conference, at 5:00 AM, after
arrangements had already been made for the signing ceremony, Clinton put his hand on
Netanyahu's shoulder and asked him to step aside with him so he could tell him a few
things.
One of those present in the room saw Clinton and Netanyahu as they spoke from a
distance. 'Netanyahu turned pale, and Clinton hugged him.' The man said this week. When
Netanyahu returned to the center of the room, he told his advisors and ministers that
Clinton had announced to him that he could not honor his promise to release Pollard. 'We
were shocked,' said one of them.
'We thought that Bibi should go back to Clinton and tell him: 'if that is the case then
there is no agreement with the Palestinians. You lied to me.' Our problem was that we did
not want to find ourselves again in the terrible situation that both in Israel and the
world Netanyahu would be presented as a liar, and would not talk at all about the real
liar.
Foreign Minster Sharon, who was summoned to the room, was of the opinion that the
agreement must not be signed. Minister Sharansky also said that the signing ceremony must
be postponed. At the end, after Clinton promised to continue acting for the release of
Pollard, the Israeli side folded. The signing ceremony was held with some delay, and
Pollard remained in prison.'
Netanyahu plans to reveal his full account in his book, in which Clinton will be
presented as a scoundrel who did not intend, from the outset, to honor his part in the
process that led to the Wye conference. (YEDIOT AHRONOT) (via FYI - June 99)
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