Why Jonathan Pollard Is Seeking Israeli Citizenship

Esther Pollard Letter to Pollard Attorneys - J4JP Release- August 23, 1995

TO: MESSRS. LARRY DUB AND GIDI FRISHTIK

August 23, 1995

Sirs:

My husband, Jonathan Pollard, has written a letter addressed to you detailing the reasons that he is requesting Israeli citizenship. In the event that his letter does not reach you in time to be included in his legal appeal - since it must navigate its way through Naval Intelligence first - I am writing this letter on his behalf to reiterate his reasons as explained to me, for inclusion in his file.

Jonathan has repeatedly stressed to me that Israeli citizenship - alongside his American citizenship - confers upon Jonathan the protection of the Israeli Government and the rights of an Israeli citizen. It signals Israel's willingness to accept responsibility for him, and provides Israel with a legal basis for securing his release. It sends a clear message to the American Administration that Jonathan s not alone anymore.

After ten years of seeking Israeli citizenship through quiet channels and being refused for fear of "harming his chances", Jonathan realized that one of the few ways left to save himself was to apply for citizenship officially, legally, publicly.

Just prior to Jonathan's instructing me to file for citizenship, he learned that the Government of Israel had been informed by their own appointees of the almost certain likelihood that, in the absence of a strong initiative on their part, Jonathan would be condemned by the Parole Board to sit in prison for another 15 years before his case would be discussed again. The Government response was apathy and indifference. It was because of this total lack of concerns and the Government's continued unwillingness to in any way publicly accept responsibility for Jonathan's fate, that Jonathan realized he would have to seek the recognition and the responsibility that has been owed to him - and denied to him - for the last ten years through legal channels.

Jonathan Pollard was a bona fide Israeli agent whose service was known at the highest levels of the Israeli Government. He was arrested as an Israeli agent; he was sentenced as an Israeli agent; he has been severely punished as an Israeli agent; he continues to serve a life sentence as an Israeli agent with no end in sight.

After ten years f serving time in American prisons for his activities on behalf of Israel, Jonathan Pollard is calling upon the Israeli Government to formally recognize him as an Israeli citizen.

(signed)
Esther Pollard