US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has reinstated the security clearance of Washington's ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk, citing "compelling national security interests," the State Department said Tuesday.
Indyk, whose clearance was temporarily suspended last month pending an investigation into allegations he was lax in handling classified material, was given back his access to sensitive information for the "duration of the current crisis" in the Middle East, spokesman Philip Reeker said.
"The secretary reinstated his security clearance (Monday) night in light of the continuing turmoil for compelling national security interests," Reeker told AFP, stressing that the investigation into the alleged breaches continued.
"The investigation into the suspected violation of standards continues," Reeker said.
A senior State Department official said Indyk was now "able to perform all of his duties to the fullest extent," noting that even though he had retained his ambassadorial title while his clearance had been suspended, "he was severely limited" in his activities.
Indyk returned to the United States shortly before his suspension was announced on September 23 but went back to Israel shortly afterward to be with his family.
Reeker said Indyk, as he had from the beginning of the probe, continued to cooperate fully with investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security with whom Albright consulted before reinstating the ambassador's clearance.
Albright, who had been under heavy pressure to improve security at the State Department following a series of embarrassing lapses, ordered Indyk's clearance suspended on September 21 pending an investigation into accusations he mishandled classified material.
Five days later, she said the decision had been difficult but necessary under her zero tolerance policy toward security violations.
"I have zero tolerance for security breaches and I've made that very clear. As I said, this was a very hard decision," Albright told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
"Obviously, he will be missed within the peace process, he was a very important player," she said.
Some experts believe the move has hurt Washington's efforts to forge a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians as it effectively removed Indyk, a longtime Middle East expert, from the peace process at a crucial time.
In the weeks since the suspension, the peace process has been dealt a critical blow with the escalation of violence in the region, and some have complained that Indyk's absence from the scene has hampered US efforts to calm the situation.
At least one Jewish leader has suggested that Indyk, who is Jewish, was singled out for punishment because of his faith, a charge Albright has blasted as "insulting" and without foundation – WASHINGTON (AFP)
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