Pollard rushed to emergency room

[dayag]

The fact that he has served much longer in prison than people who spied for enemy nations, his medical problems, and the fact that the government originally said they would not seek a life sentence if he cooperated with their investigation (which he did) would argue for Pollard's early release. I hope President Peres is successful.

Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard was rushed to a hospital emergency room near his Butner, North Carolina prison early Friday after suffering from extreme pain, sources close to him said Friday.

Sources close to him said it was too soon to know his condition.

His long list of ailments include: Diabetes, nausea, dizziness, blackouts and ongoing issues with his gall bladder, kidneys, sinuses, eyes and feet. He also suffers from Meniere’s disease, which causes him to lose consciousness and fall without warning.

Pollard's wife, Esther, has said in the past that he is in very ill health, and he has been hospitalized several times in recent years.

Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yonah Metzger called upon Jews around the world to pray during the Passover holiday for the health and freedom of Pollard, whose Hebrew name is Yehonatan Ben-Malka.

President Shimon Peres said Tuesday that he would do whatever possible to bring about the release of Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard before he receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from US President Barack Obama...

source: http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPol...aspx?id=265116

[Aliyah1995]

This is beyond a shawnda....I believe there is a special place in the next world for those involved in keeping him in prison longer than he deserved!!!!

[sharonbn]

I didn't know the facts that you outlined, dayag. I always thought he was sentenced for life, like any and all other spies.
given that, I don't understand why he got the "special" treatment.
is it possible that the attention and publicity he's getting from Israel actually hurts his cause?

[dayag]

I didn't know the facts that you outlined, dayag. I always thought he was sentenced for life, like any and all other spies.
given that, I don't understand why he got the "special" treatment.
is it possible that the attention and publicity he's getting from Israel actually hurts his cause?

From what I have read, Pollard was sentenced much harsher that those who spied for enemy countries due to a letter written to the judge by Casper Weinberger (no friend of Israel).

I seriously doubt he would have been released by now had everyone been quiet about his case.

the average sentence for the offense Pollard committed is 2 to 4 years.

source: http://www.jpost.com/Magazine/Opinio...aspx?id=264801

[Ziggy]

Pollard was dealt a harsher sentence than others whose treachery was worse in my opinion. Their treachery dealt more harm to US security than Pollard's ever will. The family spies, Walker and son were only two; however, there are many others. Undoubtedly some have yet to be caught with their hands in the cookie jar, sort to speak.

[Chris Keller]

Mr. Pollard is a selfish and arrogant person, and that is why he has not been released. He damaged the interest of the United States as well as Israel, and that of the Palestinians as well. He thinks he is all-powerful and he needs to be cut down to size; he thinks that Americans are suckers and must learn otherwise.

I am really surprised at people who say that such a user, man of bad faith, & sociopath should be turned loose. He needs to be kept locked up as a statement of American sovereignty. The man has a 2015 parole date, and release can be talked about then. But Mr. Pollard will almost certainly never show any real contrition for his crimes, as his ego knows no limits.

If he is still alive in 2015, his claims of ill health will be shown to be nothing but hot air. I will sooner think that horses speak Gaelic rhymes in County Cork than ever believe Mr. Pollard's claims at this point.

He has rocked the boat way too much. Don't be fooled by that professional victim. He made a bad symbol of himself, & needs to stay under lock and key until he is way too old to harm America any longer. Another thing: he thought that he could use the press and public opinion to get out of the slammer, and cynically tried to do just that. I recently re-read his history, and am more convinced than ever that he needs to stay just where he is.

You know what they said about the guy who kept crying "Wolf."

[dayag]

It is an election year and Obama's poll numbers have slipped among Jews. Perhaps this will put pressure on him to do the right thing and commute Pollard's sentence.

After all, the government broke its own plea agreement with Pollard not to seek a life sentence if he cooperated with their investigation, which he did. Given his real health issues, this could easily become a death sentence if the President does not respond soon.

And after 26 years in prison, he has no information that could cause any harm to the U.S. He has served much longer than those who spied for enemy countries. What he did was wrong, but he has more than served a fair sentence for his crimes and it is time to release him.

In a display of unity, representatives of the Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Jewish movements all renewed their calls over the weekend for US President Barack Obama to release Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard’s life sentence to the 26 and a half years he has already served...

The calls for Pollard’s release came from the Union for Reform Judaism, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the National Council of Young Israel, Agudath Israel of America and the Orthodox Union. In addition, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, which is the central coordinating body representing 51 Jewish organizations on issues of national and international concern, also contacted Obama and renewed its clemency call for Pollard...

source: http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPol...aspx?id=267121

[dayag]

Very disappointing comments from the White House Spokesman.

Hours ahead of a meeting with US President Barack Obama in which President Shimon Peres is expected to make a plea for clemency for jailed Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard, White House Spokesman Jay Carney on Wednesday threw cold water on the prospects of the request being granted.

"Our position has not changed and will not change today," Carney told journalists at a daily briefing. "I would simply remind you that Mr. Pollard was convicted of very serious crimes."...

source: http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPol...aspx?id=273749

[NewsGuy]

He damaged the interest of the United States as well as Israel, and that of the Palestinians as well.

That's true. As much as I support Israel, Pollard did enormous damage to Israel and to American Jews. And, quite frankly, his Israeli handlers have a lot of nerve operating on American soil.

On the other hand, I would say that I'm deeply disappointed that the U.S. would conceal information that could save Israeli lives and it does't share that intelligence with Israel. That's just as wrong as what Pollard did.

[dayag]

Former opponent of releasing Pollard changes mind:

Former CIA director James Woolsey called for the release of Jonathan Pollard in a letter to the editor, printed in The Wall Street Journal on Thursday, hinting that Pollard’s being Jewish may be a reason he is still behind bars.

“For those hung up for some reason on the fact that he’s an American Jew, pretend he’s a Greek- or Korean- or Filipino-American and free him,” Woolsey wrote.

As CIA director from 1993 to 1995, Woolsey recommended against clemency for the spy, but now says that the nearly two decades that Pollard served since then are enough.

“Of the more than 50 recently convicted Soviet bloc and Chinese spies, only two – Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen – also received life sentences, and two-thirds of these some-50 enemy spies served or have been sentenced to less time than Pollard has already served,” Woolsey explained.

Pollard, he added, expressed remorse for his actions, cooperated with the US government, and pledged not to use the crime for profit after his release...

source: http://www.jpost.com/International/A...aspx?id=276318

[NewsGuy]

Former CIA director James Woolsey called for the release of Jonathan Pollard in a letter to the editor, printed in The Wall Street Journal on Thursday, hinting that Pollard’s being Jewish may be a reason he is still behind bars.

“For those hung up for some reason on the fact that he’s an American Jew, pretend he’s a Greek- or Korean- or Filipino-American and free him,” Woolsey wrote.

That's very significant. Makes you wonder when it comes from the former CIA Director himself.

[Andromeda]

He should be quietly pardoned and sent back to Israel: no media coverage. Israel and America are de facto the same country with the same values and interests; it is impossible for either country to be engaged in an activity that can be classified as "spying": you can't spy on your own country.

[Chris Keller]

No, no pardon. He rocked the boat way too much. If he is ever released, it should be when he is too old to cause further harm. He is not even yet sixty. Maybe keep him in till he is seventy five. He is indeed a spy, and if his supporters want to play such semantic games, that is all the more reason to keep him locked up. As for his claims of bad health, people should believe them as soon as elephants roost in the treetops.

[Reffo]

Chris

I understand your desire to have those who spy against your country to be severely punished. But Jonathan Polard HAS already been severely punished.

I bet if you think about it you would admit that there are US spies who spy on Israel too. As well as on most of it's other allies, like Australia. If they get caught, would you expect them to face the same treatment that is still being meted out to Pollard? I bet you would not.

[Chris Keller]

Perhaps that is true. But the way the world should be, and the way it is, are not always the same.

We can both agree that Israel and the United States have a special relationship. Over time, such relationships can change. In the America-Israel relationship, the United States has always had to do all of the heavy lifting. America has had much more cost in money & lives versus what Israel has put into this marriage.

Since America bears the brunt of the cost, it is entitled to more respect than to be spied on by Israel, whether Pollard's handlers were authorized by the Government of Israel or not. That is what all of this boils down to. I think the man should stay in jail so that an example may be made.

I also think that Pollard's incarceration is not out of line with Israel's self interest. America is changing radically, not only in population size, but also in ethnic composition. In addition, there is a growing gap here between the haves and the have-nots. America in such situations has had a history of descending into civil strife and in the 1860's it was outright civil war. Israel would be wise to not take this relationship for granted as it has done so in the past. If it does, it might in a generation see an inward-turning America sever ties with it, especially if there are any more Pollards.

More and more young people here have little or nothing socially or historically in common with Israel. They are from races and cultures that had little historic contact with Israel or Jewish people, adversarial historic contact, or historic contact that was forgotten/buried/crushed by the Inquisition, as with Hispanic people. It is these new ethnic groups who will be coming into power in America in thirty years or so as they have the numbers. They will not have the same attitudes toward Israel as the children of the Greatest Generation had. The idea of Mr. Pollard going to Israel and being treated as a hero (by some) should be seen by Israelis as dangerous ground to walk on.

Israelis need to reflect on those facts.