Knowledgeable sources told “Globes” that Tel Aviv University will soon receive a large donation from the Marc Rich Foundation in Israel. University president Prof. Itamar Rabinovich signed a letter praising Marc Rich, whom President Clinton pardoned on his last day in office. There is however no proof or hint that the planned donation to the university is related in any way to Rabinovich’s letter. Rabinovich is a former Israeli ambassador to the US. No response from the university has been received by web posting.
Rabinovich was one of several dozen Israeli who signed letters of Rich’s behalf, which were written at the request of Marc Rich Foundation director for Israel Avner Azulay as part of the campaign for Rich’s pardon by President Clinton.
In at least one instance, and almost certainly in others, the signers were unaware that their letters were intended to seek a pardon for a fugitive criminal, accused of trading with Israel’s enemies, among other things.
The role of Israel and Israelis in the affair is drawing increasing attention in the US media, including front page articles in Saturday’s “The New York Times”, as well the interest of the Congressional committee investing the pardon. The House committee on pardon reform published an extensive, though incomplete, list of individuals from Israel and other countries who intervened on Rich’s behalf.
One of the Rich recommendation writers told “Globes” that the institution he heads received a request from Azulay to write a “Thank You” letter to Marc Rich for his activities on the institution’s behalf. “I knew nothing about a pardon campaign, and we would have naturally acted differently. I have no doubt that many of the letter writers did not know their true purpose,” said the source.
Former President Clinton himself wrote in an Op-Ed article for Sunday’s “The New York Times”, “importantly, many present and former high-ranking Israeli officials of both major political parties and leaders of Jewish communities in America and Europe urged the pardon of Mr. Rich because of his contributions and services to Israeli charitable causes, to the Mossad's efforts to rescue and evacuate Jews from hostile countries, and to the peace process through sponsorship of education and health programs in Gaza and the West Bank.”
Published by Israel's Business Arena on 18 February 2001