Convicted spy Jonathan Pollard granted parole from North Carolina prison

BUTNER, NC (WTVD) -- Jonathan Pollard, an American who was convicted of spying for Israel in a sensational espionage case that inflamed public sentiment, has been granted parole according to his lawyers.

He's set to be released from a federal prison in Butner, north of Raleigh in November on the 30th anniversary of his arrest on charges of selling classified information to Israel.

Pollard was arrested in November 1985 as he tried unsuccessfully to gain asylum in Israel's Washington embassy. Since then, the case has stoked passions and divided opinions, with supporters arguing that he was punished excessively given that he spied for a country that's a U.S. ally. Critics - including prosecutors and government officials - call him a traitor who damaged the nation by disclosing a trove of sensitive documents.

The U.S. has previously dangled his release, including during Israel-Palestinian talks last year. His release now could be seen as a concession to Israel, which strongly opposed the just-concluded U.S. nuclear deal with Iran. But federal officials rejected that idea.

Pollard, 60, has battled health problems in recent years.