[Colleen Mcedwards, Cnn Anchor:] Well, the Marc Rich pardon is a hot topic in Israel where the Marc Rich Foundation is based. That charitable organization is headed by a former agent of the Israeli Intelligence Agency, Mossad. Our Ben Wedeman talked with that man this morning and joins us now to tell us his perspective Ben.
[Ben Wedeman, Cnn Correspondent:] Yes, Colleen, the echoes of that controversy surrounding Mr. Rich are being heard here in Israel. Earlier today, as you said, we spoke to Mr. Avner Azulay, who is the head of the Rich Foundation, a charitable organization that has funded a variety of activities here. He was also the man who coordinated the effort to win Mr. Rich's pardon from President Clinton. He collected a variety of letters from leading Israeli personalities, including senior officials such as the foreign minister who sent addressed those letters to Mr. Clinton. Now, Mr. Azulay, when we spoke to him earlier today, explained to us why he believed Mr. Rich deserved that pardon.
[Avner Azulay, Managing Dir., Rich Foundation:] It's a fact Mr. Rich has been helping the Jewish people and Israel for many, many years in humanitarian causes, and helping was all he can do, not only his money, also with his connections when they were necessary. And what he was asking for is the help to support his plea for pardon so that he could visit his daughter's grave, he could visit his father's grave, he could visit his family in New York.
[Wedeman:] Many Jewish and Israeli leaders Jewish-American and Israeli leaders are distancing themselves, nonetheless, from the Rich pardon. Many feel that more deserving of a pardon was Jonathan Pollard, the American convicted of espionage on behalf of Israel. And those same people also believe that this Israeli involvement in the pardon is excessive involvement in what is essentially a U.S. domestic matter Colleen.
[Mcedwards:] CNN's Ben Wedeman, thanks. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com