Israel's former attorney general says mistakes were made by both sides in the case of convicted spy Jonathan Pollard and that Israel's government should push the U.S. to free him.

Elyakim Rubinstein did not go into detail about what he meant by mistakes. He made the remarks at a conference this week and they were broadcast by Israeli media Tuesday.

Pollard was a civilian intelligence analyst for the U.S. Navy when he was arrested by FBI agents in Washington in 1985. He pleaded guilty to passing secrets to Israel and received a life sentence.

Rubinstein was the most senior official at the Israeli Embassy in Washington when Pollard tried to seek asylum there.

Rubinstein said Pollard has sat in jail much longer than others convicted of more severe offenses.