Ex-US Spy, Mole for Israel Enters Politics Citing Major Concerns in Gaza

Jonathan Pollard confirmed in Israeli television interviews this week that he is entering Israeli politics ahead of expected elections later this year.

Pollard, a former U.S. Navy intelligence analyst convicted of spying for Israel, was arrested in 1985 after passing classified U.S. intelligence to Israel while working as a civilian analyst for the Navy. He pleaded guilty to espionage and in 1987 was sentenced to life in prison after investigators said he transferred a massive volume of classified material involving intelligence methods, military capabilities and surveillance operations.

When confronted by investigators, Pollard sought refuge at the Israeli Embassy in Washington but was denied entry before being arrested outside the compound. He was released on parole in 2015 after serving 30 years in prison and moved to Israel in 2020 after travel restrictions expired, where he received a high-profile welcome from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Pollard is aligning himself with Nissim Louk, whose daughter, Shani Louk, was killed during the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. Pollard is sharply criticizing Israel’s wartime leadership, backing hardline Gaza policies that have drawn international attention.

Pollard said the country is “not winning” the war and accused Israeli leaders of betraying the public, marking his clearest political move yet and reviving attention around one of the most damaging espionage cases involving a U.S. ally.

Military.com reached out for comment to the Department of Defense, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, CIA, State Department, Israeli Embassy, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office.

Israel ‘Betrayed’ Its People

Pollard announced plans to run with a newly formed political movement tied to Louk ahead of expected Israeli elections later this year, according to interviews aired on Israeli television.

“October 7… I realized that the government and the military had betrayed and abandoned the entire country,” Pollard said in a televised interview with Israel’s Channel 13 this week.

He has been described as one of the most damaging spies in U.S. history, underscoring the severity of his actions even among cases involving allied nations.

U.S. officials have long pointed to the scale of the breach, noting he passed hundreds of highly classified documents, including intelligence on military capabilities and surveillance systems, raising lasting concerns about exposure of sensitive sources and methods.

He also sharply criticized Israel’s wartime leadership, calling claims of success in the war “a cold-blooded lie” and arguing the country is “not winning” the conflict.

In recent interviews, Pollard backed the forcible removal of Gaza residents and called for a more aggressive wartime strategy, as part of remarks that drew widespread international criticism and renewed scrutiny in Washington.

Analysts Say Political Impact Likely Limited

“Jonathan Pollard is positioning himself on the hard right, advocating full military independence, the forced removal of Palestinians from Gaza, and Israeli resettlement there, while attacking Netanyahu from the right as insufficiently tough,” Barak Sella, senior research fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, told Military.com.

Sella said Pollard “has no meaningful public base” at this juncture of his just announced campaign. Aligning with Nissim Luk taps into a broader trend of bereaved families entering Israeli politics, he added, saying that doesn’t tend to “translate into electoral viability.

Pollard’s strategy appears aimed at leveraging public anger surrounding the war and dissatisfaction with Israel’s political leadership while attempting to position himself within the country’s fractured coalition system, Sella added.

Pollard’s Return Reignites US Spy Concerns

Pollard’s reemergence is drawing renewed attention in Washington, where his case has long been viewed as one of the most damaging espionage breaches involving a U.S. ally, straining intelligence ties at a critical point in U.S.-Israel relations.

U.S. officials have historically pointed to the volume and sensitivity of classified material he passed while working as a Navy intelligence analyst, with concerns that the disclosures exposed intelligence-gathering methods and compromised sensitive operations.

A spokesperson declined to comment when reached by Military.com.

Despite the fallout, the United States and Israel continue to maintain close intelligence and military cooperation, though Pollard’s actions remain a lasting reference point in evaluating the risks of intelligence-sharing with allies.

Recent reports also revived controversy surrounding Pollard after details emerged about a previously undisclosed meeting with U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee in Jerusalem, prompting renewed debate inside political and intelligence circles in Washington.