JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday phoned Jonathan Pollard, the former U.S. Navy analyst convicted of spying for Israel in the 1980s, telling him: “We’re waiting for you.”
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The U.S. Justice Department announced last Friday that Pollard had completed his parole, clearing the way for him to move to Israel 35 years after he was arrested.
“You should have now a comfortable life where you can pursue, both of you can pursue your interests,” Netanyahu said in a conversation with Pollard and his wife Esther. Netanyahu’s office released excerpts of the videotaped conversation.
Esther Pollard is undergoing medical treatment in New York for cancer. It is not yet clear when the couple will be able to move to Israel.
Netanyahu promised top-notch medical care for Esther Pollard, and speaking in Hebrew to her, said the country is ready to receive them with “open arms.”
“Your nightmare is over and you can come home to Israel,” Netanyahu said.
Pollard, a civilian intelligence analyst for the U.S. Navy, sold military secrets to Israel while working at the Pentagon in the 1980s. He was arrested in 1985 after trying unsuccessfully to gain asylum at the Israeli Embassy in Washington and pleaded guilty. The espionage affair embarrassed Israel and tarnished its relations with the United States for years.
Pollard was given a life sentence and U.S. defense and intelligence officials consistently argued against releasing Pollard. But after serving 30 years in federal prison, he was released on Nov. 20, 2015, and placed on a five-year parole period that ended last week.
No time to read this just now, but must ask VIN to not re-post false material. Jonathan Pollard was not convicted of spying. He agreed to a plea bargain, which the United States judge & InJustice Dept. dishonored. Please see Jonathanpollard.org for the facts.
He was the only person in American history to receive a life sentence for spying for an American ally.
When analyzed objectively, this was far, far more a case of anti-Semitic/anti-Israel evil by successive American governments for 35 years than it was a case of spying. The material Jonathan shared with Israel was illegally withheld from Israel by the US.
He was never charged with treason. He was not tried; therefore, he was never a convicted spy.
We all have a bad taste in our mouth from this whole saga. At least I do. Because apparently all the activists badgering klal yisroel for 30 years to daven make phone calls write letters etc they knew that he’s scheduled to be released nov 2015 after 30 yrs. while they kept telling all of us that he’s never getting out. I’m not saying it wasn’t a worthy cause. I’m saying that the whole effort was very disingenuous and dishonest
Thats not what Ehud Olmeret said. Im paraphrasing, bus he basically said: That this spy was not doing anyone any favors, he was not altruistic in the least (he offered to sell state secrets to other western countries too), he got paid a lot of money, he is not welcome in Israel and should stay in the USA.
Good bye. Do not let the door hit you on your behind on the way out.
It is hard to think of anyone who has done more to hurt Israel’s most-important alliance.