Israel Keeps Distance From Pollard

February 12, 1997
I.M.R.A. reports:

Israel's ambassador to Washington, Eliyahu Ben Elissar, asked that the government approve the appointment of an official in the Embassy as the contact man with Jonathan Pollard in order to advance his case before the U.S. government.

The interministerial committee handling the Pollard affair rejected the recommendation.

Source:

Ha'aretz - February 4, 1997

Jonathan Pollard deserves to know:
Exactly who sits on this alleged committee?
What exactly have then been doing for the last 12 years?
What was the reason that they turned down the ambassador's request?

Letter to Ambassador Ben Elissar from Jonathan Pollard

February 12, 1997 B"H

Dear Ambassador Ben Elissar:

I was heartened to learn of your recent efforts to have the Government authorize an official from the Embassy to serve as a point of contact with me ("Ha'aretz, February 4, 1997). Clearly such an arrangement would have gone far towards reassuring me of the Government's commitment to securing my release.

In light of this, I simply could not understand why your request was turned down by some alleged "interministerial committee" responsible for handling my case. Exactly who sits on this so-called committee, Mr. Ambassador, and

why has its very existence been kept secret from me all these years?

More importantly, Mr. Ambassador, assuming there is such a committee,

what twisted line of reasoning could possibly have justified its apparent desire to keep me in the dark about what, if anything, it's been doing to bring me home

. This only confirms my worst fears about the Government's actual policy towards me.

My suspicion, Mr. Ambassador, is that this invisible "committee" is

not really all that concerned with seeing my ordeal end

. Indeed I have a feeling that there might be some members of this group who have "dirty hands" and who, therefore,

would be extremely uncomfortable with my repatriation

Don't these people understand that I just want to get on with my life with Esther and leave this nightmare behind me? At the very least, Mr. Ambassador, if the members of this phantom "committee" have nothing to hide, then

let them reveal themselves both to me and to the nation

. More to the point, Mr. Ambassador, let them explain exactly

what they've been up to during the past 12 years

that I have been rotting in prison.

Perhaps then our people could judge whether my agony has been the result of criminal negligence or cold-blooded calculation.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Pollard

P.S. The favour of a reply in person would be deeply appreciated.