Pollard's Lawyers Plan New Appeal

Batsheva Tsur - The Jerusalem Post - August 3, 1994

Jonathan Pollard's lawyers are planning to appeal his case again in light of material that emerged from the case of former CIA employee and master spy Aldrich Ames, a source close to the Pollard family told The Jerusalem Post yesterday.

The case will be submitted in soon and will also relate to allegations by former defense secretary Les Aspin that Pollard had sent 14 letters containing classified information from prison, the source said.

Pollard, a former civilian analyst for US Naval Intelligence, was convicted of spying for Israel nine years ago and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Opponents of an early release for Pollard have contended that the information he gave Israel could have reached the KGB through Russian spies in Israel. But Ames, the highest ranking official to betray his country, was found guilty of selling information directly to the former Soviet Union, thus obviating the need for a Pollard link to Moscow. Ames is also serving a life sentence.

Speaking in a telephone interview yesterday, Jonathan's sister, Carol, pointed out that a presidential adviser had said the case was no longer before the president, "unless Mr. Pollard submits a renewed petition for clemency". Special Counsel Lloyd Cutler made the remark in response to a letter from a Connecticut Jewish leader, Eugene Elander.

Carol Pollard said that Esther Zeitz-Pollard, who was in Israel late last month to solicit support for her husband Jonathan, does not represent Citizens for Justice, the organization which Carol heads.

"Ms. Zeitz is not authorized to collect funds and is not associated in any way with Citizens for Justice in the US or Canada. She is operating strictly on her own," she said.

Zeitz-Pollard could not be reached for comment.

J4JP Note

  In response to the above article, the Jerusalem Post published the following letter to the Editor:

Work Together

Helen Smolack - The Jerusalem Post - August 24, 1994

Sir, - Carol Pollard's claim ("Pollard's lawyers plan new appeal," J.P., August 3) that the Canadian campaign for justice for Jonathan Pollard which has been conducted so effectively by Esther Zeitz Pollard is "unauthorized" does a tremendous disservice to both Jonathan Pollard and Esther, his wife, in that it could destabilize their efforts and the efforts of all who seek Jonathan Pollard's release from an unjust prison sentence.

We can hasten the day of Jonathan Pollard's freedom only by working together, by combining our efforts toward the shared goal - not by hindering and endangering progress through personal and dangerously divisive attacks. (signed)

Helen Smolack,
President,
Toronto Zionist Council,
Toronto, Canada