Convicted nuclear spy Mordechai Vanunu recently sent a letter to Interior Minister Eli Yishai calling upon the senior cabinet official to remove his Israeli citizenship. Vanunu explains that he was convicted of spying against Israel and served 18 years in a closed prison and 8 years in an open one, and as such, he has no interest in maintaining his citizenship.

Security officials continue to view Vanunu as a danger, adding the Supreme Court in the past has rejected requests from Vanunu to have his citizenship canceled, and it appears the minister is not about to accommodate him since doing so might assist him in leaving Israel and seeking refuge elsewhere. Israel feels he must remain in the country under the watchful eye of the intelligence community.

In his official response to Vanunu, Minister Yishai informed him that his request would not be honored.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)