Israel
Makes Request To Obama To Release Jonathan Pollard On Humanitarian
Grounds
By
Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency
Jerusalem,
Israel --- April 9, 2012 .... The following was communicated by
the Office of the President of Israel to the Israel News Agency.
Israel President
Shimon Peres at his Jerusalem Residence, met with Esther Pollard,
wife of Jonathan Pollard, the leaders of the Knesset lobby for
the release of Jonathan Pollard, MK Uri Ariel and MK Ronit Tirosh,
and Effie Lahav, head of the Committee to Free Pollard.
At the beginning
of the meeting, Israel President Peres told Esther Pollard: I
am very disturbed and worried by the latest reports on Jonathans
health."
Peres continued:
"It is my duty as President of Israel to be an emissary and
use all means at my disposal vis-à-vis the American administration
to expedite Jonathans release. I intend to work quickly,
taking into account the most serious considerations, and to appeal
to President Obama and request that, in light of his severe health
situation and after having sat for many long years in an American
prison, he positively consider releasing Jonathan Pollard from
prison. As a president, who personally signs pardons for prisoners
in Israel, one of the main considerations in my decision is the
health of the prisoner and this would be one of the main justifications
that I will pass on to President Obama since this is a serious
humanitarian and moral consideration given the severe state of
his health.
Esther Pollard
responded to President Peres: Mr. President, time is running
out. I know that there is no possibility of bringing forward your
meeting with President Obama but I do not sleep at night. I appeal
to you as Jonathans wife so that you might use your influence
because I do not want to be his widow. Nobody in Israel has a
greater status than yours in Washington and I ask that you use
this great influence on Jonathans behalf. Jonathans
strength is slipping away and I do not know what will happen the
next time I receive a telephone call about his health problems.
Esther Pollard
updated President Peres that according to the reports she received
last night, Jonathan is still fighting to recover in hospital
and the team of doctors is trying to stabilize his situation.
She emphasized that it is important to act so that her husband
is not returned to prison and added that doing so would be tantamount
to a death sentence.
She added:
I ask that you appeal to President Obama today on humanitarian
grounds and ask that he not be returned to prison.
Israel Knesset
lobby chairman MK Uri Ariel told President Peres: Mr. President,
I submit to you a letter for President Obama that has been signed
by 81 MKs and which calls on him to release Jonathan Pollard.
We would be very grateful if you would deliver this letter at
your meeting with President Obama in June. We are asking the President
of the State of Israel not to wait until the Presidential Medal
of freedom award ceremony and even now present this official request
to the US President that he pardons Jonathan Pollard on humanitarian
grounds forthwith.
MK Ronit Tirosh
told President Peres: In 1996, you granted Israeli citizenship
to Jonathan Pollard thereby proving that all Israel is responsible,
one for the other. The signatures on the letter that we are presenting
to you cross party lines and reflect the will of all the people
in Israel who anticipate Jonathan Pollards release.
Esther Pollard
and the Committee leaders thanked President Peres for his willingness
to use the full weight of his office to work for Jonathan Pollards
release.
In a related
story, more than 20,000 Israel citizens, including artists, political
leaders and academians have signed a petition calling on President
Shimon Peres to work towards securing the release of Jonathan
Pollard, 49, before receiving the presidential Medal of Freedom
from US President Barack Obama.
Israel President
Shimon Peres sent a personal letter to President Barak Obama today,
urging Obama to consider granting clemency to Jonathan Pollard,
citing Pollard's deteriorating health.
Officials
at Peres' office indicated that the president's diplomatic adviser
handed the formal request to US Ambassador in Israel Dan Shapiro,
with US officials confirming that Obama received the letter this
afternoon.
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