Israel Agrees to Cooperate with Iran-contra Investigation

Israel has signed a secret agreement with the special prosecutor in the Iran-Contra affair, pledging Jerusalem’s continued cooperation in the investigation on a “government-to-government basis,” it was announced Monday.

The agreement was signed recently and approved Sunday by the Israel Cabinet, according to a statement made by the Israel Embassy.

“The government of Israel and the independent counsel expressed their hope and desire that with the attainment of the agreement their cooperation will continue in accordance with the agreement to their mutual satisfaction,” the statement said. “The terms of the agreement are classified.”

Although the embassy would not go beyond the statement, the agreement apparently means that Israel will turn over to special prosecutor Lawrence Walsh the same information it presented to the congressional committees that investigated the secret sale of arms to Iran and the illegal use of profits to fund the Nicaraguan rebels, known as Contras.

Walsh angered the Israeli government last year when he tried to subpoena David Kimche, the former director general of the Israel Foreign Ministry, and Al Schwimmer, a businessman with dual Israeli-American citizenship who was instrumental in the transfer of U.S. missiles to Iran.

The Israeli government threatened to cut off all cooperation with Walsh. Israel has stressed that the involvement of any Israelis in the shipment of arms to Iran was on behalf of the Israeli government and not individuals.

Throughout the Iran-Contra investigation, Israel has been reluctant to allow any of the Israelis involved, inside or outside the government, to be questioned by the United States. However, it did allow some of them to be questioned inside Israel. The Israeli government also has provided written information to the various probes on the affair.

It was not clear whether the agreement between Walsh and Israel would include written replies to questions from the Israelis involved in the case.

Nor was it clear whether the Israeli information would be used at the trial of the four persons already indicted as a result of Walsh’s investigation: Rear Adm. John Poindexter, former national security adviser; Lt. Col. Oliver North, a former National. Security Council aide; and Richard Secord and Albert Hakim, both involved in the transfer of arms to Iran and the use of profits from the arms sale to supply the Contras.

Walsh has indicated that there would be further indictments.

The special congressional committees that investigated the Iran-contra affair found no involvement by Israel in the transfer of funds to the contras, but concluded that Israel played a major role in opening and continuing the initiative to Iran.