For 35 years, Aviem Sella, Jonathan Pollard's handler, lived with a tremendous burden. He did not say a word. He did not complain once. But those close to him knew how heavy that burden was until it was finally removed on Wednesday.
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Sella is a friend of mine, and as someone who had the opportunity to observe him closely, I can say that this is a man who has done so much for Israel that we will never know and appreciate.
Requesting President Donald Trump for a pardon was the least our country could do, and even that came too late. Sella is no longer a young man; instead of enjoying life as we all do, he spent his prime years constantly fleeing from a vengeful and cruel pursuer.
The Americans chased Sella the same way they did Pollard: in all places and through all means necessary. When he wanted to create a bank account abroad, he was prevented from doing so because of his past.
For that same reason, he was never invited to events and ceremonies, let alone be a director or a board member in many companies, especially not those that are listed on the New York Stock Exchange or conduct business in the United States. Nobody wanted to invite the man who Americans wanted to arrest, and as proud as he is, Sella never attended any event without an invitation.
Sella had to make do. He found a way to live life and even enjoy it through his work in high-tech, establishing a beer factory, and tending to his garden. But the fear of his pursuers was always there at the back of his mind. That is also why he never gave interviews.
For all those who will try to reach Sella in the upcoming days to requests an interview, don't bother. He did not speak about the affair in the past, nor is he going to talk about it now. In this sense, Sella will forever remain under the radar.
He did not share the details of the Pollard affair even with those close to him. He also never complained, even though several other senior officials exited the affair unharmed, while he had to pay a heavy price: had the US not insisted that Sella be discharged from the IDF, he would have most likely become the commander of the Air Force.
His military accomplishments are exceptional: he was the one who planned the attack on the Iranian nuclear reactor in 1981, and a year later put together the plan to destroy Syria's surface-to-air missile network at the outset of the 1982 Lebanon War that resulted in Israel's victory. The latter rectified the damage done to the Air Force in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and Sella was responsible for this achievement.
After his military service, Sella continued to aid the country in security matters. Most of these achievements will forever be classified, but let's just say that he was a close confidant of prime ministers, defense ministers, the Mossad, Shin Bet, and of course, chiefs of staffs and commanders of the Air Force.
There's a tradition in the Air force for the commander to host the graduates at the end of each pilot course, during which they can bring along the person who had a significant impact on their lives. Most of them bring their teachers, but when Amir Eshel graduated, who is now Direct-General of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, he invited Aviam Sella.
As of yesterday, Sella is no longer a target. He never has to look over his shoulder with concern ever again. He initiated the pardon request but was supported by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, and Miriam Adelson. Trump did the right thing by signing the pardon, and now Sella can live his life without any burden and fear.
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