Galei Tzahal (IDF) Radio Interview

December 26, 1999

Yael Dan's interview of Esther Pollard on Galei Tzahal Radio took Israelis by surprise. They were not expecting her confident statements contradicting recent Israeli news reports that Prime Minister Barak is actively negotiating her husband's release as part of the peace process.

Pollard disabused listeners of the notion that Jonathan Pollard's release is currently being negotiated with the Americans at any level. Barak, she said, is cynically misinforming the Israeli media about Pollard in order to serve his own political purposes - exactly what he accused former P.M. Netanyahu of doing.

She indicated that there is no substance to the officially-leaked rumors that Jonathan is a part of the deal with the Syria. This, she said, is Barak's calculated means of deceiving both the Supreme Court of Justice which is about to hear the Pollard petition, and the Israeli people who want to believe that a complete withdrawal from the Golan Heights will at least bring Jonathan Pollard home. Jonathan, she said, is not any part of the deal, and the whole story is nothing but politically-calculated disinformation.

[The text of the Galei Tzahal interview follows.]


Yael Dan:

Esther Pollard, shalom!

Esther Pollard

: Shalom, Yael!

Yael Dan:

How are you Esther? You're back in the country?

Esther Pollard:

Yes, Yael, I 'm back.

Yael Dan:

Why? What brought you to us now?

Esther Pollard:

There are several reasons. First of all the Supreme Court is about to hear the petition that my husband filed against Ehud Barak. That is is the first reason.

Yael Dan:

His petition against Ehud Barak which accuses Barak of abandoning him? You know that sounds really strange. After all, according to recent media reports, your husband's case in particular is the subject of secret negotiations - according to what has been published- between Israel and United States, throughout the process of negotiations with Syria.

Esther Pollard:

I am very sorry to disappoint you Yael, but there is no basis in fact for any of these stories in the media. I must also tell you Yael, that not very long ago Ehud Barak accused Bibi Netanyahu of exploiting Pollard to make noise in the media to further his own political interests, while doing real damage to Pollard's chances for freedom. The truth is, this is not what Bibi was doing back then. On the contrary, this is exactly what Ehud Barak is now doing. He is making lots of noise in the media about Jonathan so as to give the impression that he is doing something for him, when in fact there is no substance to it at all.

Yael Dan:

How do you know this? How do you know that Barak is not holding secret meetings. After all he has always claimed that things should be done for Pollard secretly, and he has all these secret contacts... perhaps what he is doing is so secret that you just don't know about it.

Esther Pollard:

First of all, people must understand that this whole business of secret negotiations is false - nothing but smoke and mirrors. Bill Clinton is able to grant clemency - according to the powers bestowed upon him by the American Constitution - to whomever he wishes, whenever he wishes, for whatever reason he deems appropriate, without limitation.

So if he really wants to free Jonathan, and if Barak is as close with Clinton as he claims to be, all Barak has to do is to ask and Bill will do. - Exactly as he recently did for 14 FALN terrorists responsible for bombings throughout the United States and for the deaths and injuries of scores of Americans. All of Clinton's government agencies and advisors were opposed to their release, but Clinton simply said, " It is my constitutional right to free them." Period.

Yael Dan:

It is possible Esther, that contacts are being made and negotiations are going on (for Jonathan's release.)

Esther Pollard:

No. Wait a minute. No!

Yael Dan:

No? Why not?

Esther Pollard:

No. Not just that we know so from our own high-level sources in Washington. But there are a couple of other reasons as well. Even the Israeli Embassy in Washington has stated clearly that there is no new Israeli initiative for Pollard's release currently in the United States. The Embassy also stated that the visit of an Israeli Defense Ministry official to Washington regarding Pollard was simply a "get acquainted" meeting and that - and I am quoting now - that it "did not signal any new initiative on the part of Israel."

If indeed - Yael, it is so important that people understand - when you start to hear noise in the media about Pollard (before you first see it), you should know that there is nothing to it. No substance. The minute that Barak

really

wants Pollard home,

he will first be here

,

then you will hear the noise in the media.

When the noise in the media comes first, you know that it is not going to happen - it is just posturing.

Yael Dan:

How is your husband doing?

Esther Pollard:

He is very disappointed. He says... Look, tomorrow is my birthday. It is another birthday that we won't be spending together. No anniversaries. No birthdays. No holidays. Every important date passes and is just one more landmark in time that we won't be together. We are never able to celebrate together - ever - because we are still battling for our life, and who are we battling ? The Israeli Government - which abandoned Jonathan!

Yael Dan:

Tell us how you are. We understand that you have not been well.

Esther Pollard:

I went back to Canada for medical treatment. We do not receive any support from the Government - not financial, and not medical, not for Jonathan and not for myself. We are in very very dire straits. And it is even harder on us Yael, to know that they are (falsely) exploiting Jonathan's situation to soften domestic opposition to a withdrawal from the Golan Heights - as if Jonathan were a part of the plan- and it is nothing but a lie!

Yael Dan:

Esther Pollard, I thank you very much. Thank you so much.

Esther Pollard:

Yael, thank you.
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