Pollard's Father: Peres Told Me 'We Betrayed Your Son'

Ashel Cohen - The Jewish Press [NY] - June 16, 1995

Dr. Morris Pollard, father of Jonathan Pollard, has accused Foreign Minister Shimon Peres of saying that Israel betrayed his son. In an exclusive interview with Yaakov Achimeir, Israel's T.V. correspondent in Washington, Pollard said that Peres made the statement at a meeting May 1989. Jonathan Pollard has now served 10 years of a life sentence on charges of spying for Israel.

"In the course of a conversation in an office room, Peres finally said to me 'Well, you know that we betrayed your son,'" Mr. Pollard told Israeli T.V. "I said 'What do you mean?'" (Peres replied): "We felt that if we cooperated with the U.S. government in prosecuting Jonathan, they would be easier on us." "I said, 'In other words, you threw a Yid to the goyim.'"

Mr. Pollard went on to say, "I cannot forget this. Molly felt that she would hit him over the head with her handbag. But I can't understand how this man (Peres) can identify himself with Israel."

"The one who has really come through for us has been Yitzhak Rabin," Pollard said. "I think he's shown some sort of statesmanship when he approached our government on three occasions to see if Jonathan can be released. When Rabin came to this country to ask relief for Jonathan he was followed, - I don't know if intentionally or otherwise by Shimon Peres. And when Peres was asked, "What can you do for Jonathan?' His first response was 'I don't know, I'm not interested, it's no affair of ours.' He said this to three reporters in this country, and people from the press called me and asked, 'Who is this guy to have an attitude like that towards your son?' It's unreal," said Pollard. "I felt this was a second betrayal by Mr. Peres. I hope he finds some way to retrieve some of his dignity."

In reaction, Shimon Peres said he was surprised by the accusation, adding that Israel had done what it could for Jonathan Pollard and all its actions were coordinated by the government.