Former U.S. Navy Intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard, who was caught spying for Israel in 1985 and sentenced to life in prison, could go free in an effort to save Middle East peace negotiations, according to CNN. Pollard was given a life sentence in 1987, and his imprisonment has since been a point of contention between the U.S. and Israel.

AP reports that the White House has said President Obama has not yet made a decision on whether or not to release Pollard. White House spokesman Jay Carney told the AP that although no decision has been reached, "there are obviously a lot of things happening in that arena."

Pollard's release could come in time for the upcoming Passover holiday and would serve as an incentive to the Israelis to "keep the troubled negotiations with the Palestinians afloat," the article says. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for several hours late Monday and later met with chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, according to The Herald Bulletin.

U.S. defense and intelligence officials have expressed strong opposition to releasing Pollard in the past. Last year, President Obama told Israeli television station Channel 2 he had "no plans for releasing [Pollard] immediately."

Pollard was found guilty of handing over thousands of classified documents to Israel.

 

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