[ad_1]
The Israel Protection Forces (IDF) promoted Aviem Sella to brigadier basic this week.
Sella, who served because the handler for infamous US-Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, was pardoned final yr by former US President Donald Trump on his last day in workplace.
Pollard, a US Navy intelligence officer convicted in 1987 of passing US army and intelligence secrets and techniques to Israel, was launched on parole final November and moved to Jerusalem.
Sella’s promotion was permitted by Protection Minister Benny Gantz and the IDF’s Chief of Workers Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi. It got here on the suggestion of the pinnacle of Israel’s air drive (IAF), Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin, The Jerusalem Publish reported.
Sella, now a 75-year-old retired colonel of the IAF, was scheduled to obtain the rank of brigadier basic in 1987. His promotion was interrupted amid his indictment in the US on espionage for his function in recruiting Pollard. Sella fled the US for Israel following Pollard’s arrest.
The 2 met at New York College when Sella was finishing graduate research. Pollard started passing categorized data to him in 1984.
Sella was a adorned air drive commander with in depth fight expertise previous to his involvement with Pollard. He helped plan Israel’s profitable Operation Opera towards Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor in 1982.
Pollard’s spying is taken into account one of many extra damaging leaks in US intelligence historical past, revealing in depth steerage on US indicators intelligence and the names of tons of if not 1000’s of intelligence sources.
A number of former senior US officers, together with former CIA director George Tenet and Protection Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, opposed any strikes towards clemency for Pollard.
[ad_2]
Source link