A Call For Knesset to Investigate

December 25, 1995 - Esther and Jonathan Pollard

Mr. Asaf Nivnadal
Israel Student's Union
JERUSALEM, Israel

Dear Asaf,

My husband, Jonathan Pollard, has asked me to write to you to thank you and the Israel Students' Union for you principled support. Jonathan and I deeply appreciate your raising his case with Prime Minister Peres and organizing and submitting petitions on his behalf. We also appreciate you sharing with us the personal letter of response from the Prime Minister.

Unfortunately, Jonathan and I take no comfort in Prime Minister Peres' declaration that "Israel has done and is continuing to do everything possible to secure the release of Jonathan Pollard."

Asaf, how can it be that our Prime Minister enjoys such massive support in the United States and yet fails to bring Jonathan home? In the same breath that President Clinton declares "I pledge to you personally, Shimon, that I will be your partner in peace" (Washington Post, December 13/95), he refuses Mr. Peres' urgent request to free Jonathan.

Consider this, Asaf, against the backdrop of America's recent treatment of Michael Schwartz - an American non-Jew - who spied for Saudi Arabia. Schwartz was indicted, and signed a full confession. But the Americans, not wanting to offend the "sensitivities" of their Saudi ally, quickly arranged to dismiss the charges against Schwartz in a lop-sided plea bargain. Schwartz never stood trial and will never serve a day in prison.

Jonathan Pollard is now in his eleventh year of a life sentence for similar activities on behalf of Israel!

WHY IS IT THAT OUR PRIME MINISTER DOES NOT DEMAND EQUAL TREATMENT AS AN ALLY, AND INSIST UPON THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF JONATHAN POLLARD?

How is it that Israel is not pressing for a full disclosure on the Schwartz case and an accounting of the information passed to the Arabs that compromise Israel's security? How can we be expected to trust American guarantees for Israeli security in the face of the blatant double standard of treatment Israel is receiving?

Asaf, my husband urges you to use the strong student voice to raise these questions with the Government of Israel.

It is critical that the students demand a special Investigations Committee be formed in the Knesset to investigate the extremely serious implications of the Schwartz case for Israel. And most of all, to ask why, in Heaven's name, the Government of Israel is willing to tolerate the incarceration, for even one minute longer, of Jonathan Pollard.

With our deepest thanks,

Esther and Jonathan Pollard