Israeli Personalities' Urgent Appeal to PM Olmert:
Bring Jonathan Pollard Home!

(As published in the Jerusalem Post, November 18, 2008)

B"H, Sunday, 18 Cheshvan 5769
November 16, 2008

To the Prime Minister of Israel, Mr. Ehud Olmert:

This week, on the eve of your trip to the United States to meet with President George Bush, Jonathan Pollard enters his 24th year of incarceration for his service to the State of Israel. It is a rare occurrence that Israeli citizens from all walks of life and all political stripes come together to rally around a single issue. But in the case of Jonathan Pollard, there is wall to wall support by all Israeli citizens to bring Pollard home now!

As you well know, Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Bush's term in office is drawing to a close. This is a time of grace when a retiring president traditionally grants clemency to prisoners. President Bush's warm relations with you and with the State of Israel are well known. There is no doubt that a serious request on your part to the President for the release of one single prisoner, Jonathan Pollard, would be met with a positive response.

The median sentence for the offense Pollard committed, passing classified information to an ally, is 2 to 4 years in prison. Even those American officials, who in the past were opposed to his release, today are on record in support of his release. We, the undersigned, join Israelis from all walks of life and across the political spectrum in making this heartfelt appeal to you, Mr. Olmert: Bring Pollard home with you! Enough is enough!

Jonathan Pollard is an Israeli Citizen and an Israeli agent who risked everything for the security of the State of Israel and for its defense. Thanks to Pollard, hundreds of thousands of Israeli lives were saved. After surviving 23 years in prison in brutal conditions, Pollard is ill and his health is deteriorating. He is in mortal danger.

Mr. Prime Minister, there is no doubt that the immediate release of Jonathan Pollard is a very important humanitarian consideration; but it is also a moral imperative for the People of Israel. Not only because he is a fellow human being in peril, but also because he is an Israeli citizen and an Israeli agent, the People of Israel has an absolute moral obligation to save his life. We must not miss this opportunity to bring Jonathan Pollard home now!

With blessing,
Signed:

Dani Ayalon

- former Israeli Ambassador to the United States

Aryeh

(Lova)

Eliav

- former Secretary General of the Labour Party

Maj.- Gen.

(res.)

Yaakov Amidror

- formerly head of research in Military Intelligence and commander of the IDF Military Colleges

Professor (Robert) Yisrael Aumann

- Nobel Prize Laureate (Einstein College of Mathematics and Center for the Study of Rationality, Hebrew University.)

Professor Asa Kasher

- Winner of The Israel Prize

Professor Amnon Rubinstein

- Winner of The Israel Prize, former MK and Minister

Rabbi Yitzhak Dovid Grossman

- Chief Rabbi of Migdal HaEmek and head of Migdal Ohr Institutions

Professor Reuven Orda

- Professor Emeritus, Tel Aviv University

Dorit Aldovi

- Editor of high tech magazine, "Technologies"

Maj.- Gen.

(Res.)

Moshe "Boogie" Ya'alon

- former Chief of Staff of the IDF

Rami Doron

- Chairman of "Airim B'Layla" (organization for former P.O.W's in enemy countries)

Yoel Marshek

- Chairman of the Kibbutz Movement's Task Force

Nehamia Rafel

- Secretary General of the Religious Kibbutz Movement

Professor Eli Polk

- Chairman of the Union of the Public's Right to Know and Chairman of The Professors Society for Sound Policy and Economics

Chaim Amit

- founder of High Tech College

Matti Golan

- writer, playwright, journalist; editor 'Globes"

Jackie Levy

- journalist and opinion-maker

Arel Segal

- journalist and opinion-maker

Amnon Lord

- editor, Makor Rishon Newspaper

Tzvi Tal

- former Supreme Court Justice

Effie Lahav

- Chairman of the Academic Union, Jerusalem Branch

Moshe Peled

- General (res.), former MK and deputy Minister

Note:

all of the above personalities participated in a short video to express their opinions in support of the release of Jonathan Pollard. (Language: Hebrew). See the video here.
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