Yossi Melman, an Israeli journalist, wrote in the Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" "Vanunu's harassment by the Israeli government is unprecedented and represents a distortion of every accepted legal norm." Vanunu was denied parole at a hearing in May 1998. Five years later, parole was again refused. At this parole hearing, Vanunu's lawyer Avigdor Feldman maintained that his client had no more secrets and should be freed. However, the prosecution argued that the imminent war with Iraq would preclude his release.