Washington – Obama Won’t Release Jonathan Pollard Despite Israel’s Requests

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    Jonathan Pollard, a former intelligence analyst, was convicted of spying for Israel. | AP PhotoWashington – Convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Jay Pollard has been hospitalized at a prison medical center in Butner, N.C., since April 4, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons said Monday.

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    A lawyer for Pollard, 57, said that for over a year his client has suffered from increasingly debilitating and incapacitating medical problems that have resulted in emergency surgeries and other emergency medical procedures.

    Pollard’s hospitalization brought renewed calls for his release from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres. Peres dispatched a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to free Pollard.

    Democratic and Republican administrations in the U.S. have repeatedly refused Israeli appeals to release the convicted spy.

    The White House on Monday said its position has not changed and that the president has no intention to release Pollard.

    Pollard was a civilian intelligence analyst for the U.S. Navy when he copied and gave to his Israeli handlers enough classified documents to fill a walk-in closet. Arrested in 1985 after unsuccessfully seeking refuge at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, Pollard was convicted and sentenced two years later to life in prison.

    Pollard attorney Eliot Lauer says his client’s medical problems have included loss of balance, fainting, repeated falls, extreme dizziness, severe nausea and excruciating abdominal pain in the area of the gall bladder and pancreas. Lauer says excruciating pain was the immediate problem that caused the current hospitalization and that doctors are awaiting the results of tests to try to locate the nature of the problem.

    In accordance with Bureau of Prisons policy, BOP spokeswoman Traci Billingsley declined to give the reason for Pollard’s hospital admission.


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    39 Comments
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    11 years ago

    The problem is Obama will be elected again so only a miracle will get Pollard freed.

    cmt18
    cmt18
    11 years ago

    If Amercia and Israel are friends, then friends should forgive.
    Pollard already served more than 3 times the amount of time that others convicted of the same crime, only serve an average sentences of 7 years or less in prison. This miscarriage of justice is an American civil rights issue and not just a Jewish/Israel issue.

    Applestein
    Applestein
    11 years ago

    Its time to let him go. Maybe Israel should have requested his release years ago

    11 years ago

    It ain’t gonna happen in an election year unless all the leading Republicans vow not to make it a campaign issue which they will never do. I note that both Romney and Santorum have been silent on the issue and are not among those calling for a pardon. The American people simply won’t be happy with a president who they already suspect of not having America’s interests at heart who releases someone who betrayed his country whatever the merits of the case.

    Rifka
    Rifka
    11 years ago

    Why are we voting for Obama?

    11 years ago

    In spite of nearly two dozen debates, not one person in the audience, or at the many rallies asked any of the leading Republican contenders, what would their policy be, vis-a-vis Pollard? Pollard has served nearly half of his life behind bars. Yes, what he did was wrong, but he has more than paid his debt to society. At the same time, his Israeli handlers got away with their surreptitious deeds, and refused to return most of the documents. They also acted in an arrogant and cocky manner, when confronted. Hence, Pollard had to pay the price for this sordid affair. A shanda!!

    qazxc
    qazxc
    11 years ago

    Obama must think Bush was a great president. He has copied the Bush positions and policies on almost every major issue.

    Bush expanded Medicare, Obama wants to expand all government medical programs to include all of us.

    Bush called for negotiations based on the 1967 borders, so Obama copied him.

    Bush chose to let Pollard rot in jail so Obama copied him.

    The only thing Obama hasn’t done to copy Bush is starting a war looking for nonexistent WMD and having an affair with the Saudi Crown Prince, strolling hand in hand and lip kissing in front of the international media.

    AVERAGE-DUDE
    AVERAGE-DUDE
    11 years ago

    When America asks Israel to agree on land swaps or give up other things to help out the peace process they shoud say NO to ALL unless he goes free……

    Voice-of-Reason
    Voice-of-Reason
    11 years ago

    Meshigene government releases the PanAm bomber on humanitarian grounds. And he’s laughing back home now. And he’s a celebrity in his country. This Pollard affair is frustrating.

    11 years ago

    Vote the bum out!

    11 years ago

    #17 : Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was released by the Scottish government, not the U.S. There’s also some evidence that he wasn’t the perpetrator. More outrageous is the fact that the party ultimately responsible for the bombing – Gaddafi – was rehabilitated by the West in return for oil. Of course, he got his just deserts. (And that’s spelled correctly because I just looked it up).

    LashonTov
    LashonTov
    11 years ago

    According to Pollard’s own website the Bush White House said clemency is is not considered for Pollard because he has not applied for parole. According to long-standing Department of Justice guidelines, clemency is only considered after all other means, and it specifically mentions parole, have been exhausted. So don’t blame anyone for Pollard’s continued incarceration except for those advising him to not apply for parole.

    11 years ago

    The only way pollard is going to be free is when the chreidim take over the secular government of Israel. Chareidim will allow massive building of one family homes and the American government will beg us to take pollard in exchange for some limited building. The idiots of the Israeli government are responsible as they are secular jelly fishes.

    11 years ago

    It’s very simple, it seems that there is a note in the oval office left from every outgoing pres. to the incoming one, whatever you do “DON’T PARDON MR. POLLARD”
    So there most be something we don’t (and might never) know.

    speakup
    speakup
    11 years ago

    Nevertheless, Obama has no compassion. And a person who demonstrates no compassion to a dying man will not be dealt with compassionately.

    Butterfly
    Butterfly
    11 years ago

    Some of the information Pollard gave the Israelis was useless because they already had it!!