Ne'eman on Pollard

March 29, 1998 - Arutz 7 News Service

Finance Minister Yaakov Ne'eman was very emotional about his visit to Jonathan Pollard in his prison cell in North Carolina last week. He told reporters, "It was a difficult day for me because of my emotional meeting with him. To see a person who has been in jail for so long and see how his health is deteriorating... He's paid a heavy price and should be able to go to Israel and start a new life."

The Jewish Press quoted Minister Ne'eman as saying, "We should do our utmost to influence President Clinton to have Pollard released. This is a humanitarian act... We have not done enough for him at this stage. I was almost crying when I saw how he keeps his senses. He is upset at the way he has been treated by the Jews here and in Israel. There must be an end to this grave situation... One shouldn't pursue a person until he dies... I do not agree with every view he expresses and I'm not trying to account for the past. I just want him to be released from jail!"

Pollard himself criticized leading American Jewish organizations for their lack of action on his behalf.