Excerpt of the Knesset Record for July 25, 2000
(Translation of the original Hebrew transcript)Meeting of the Knesset Number 139 - 22 Tammuz 5760 Record of Brief Remarks - 1 Minute
(NB: For this part of the session, Knesset rules require speakers to limit their remarks to no more than one minute.)
Speaking to the Issue of Jonathan Pollard and Camp David:
MK Edelstein
MK Stern
MK Ze'evi
MK Yuli Edelstein (Party: Yisrael B'Aliyah)
Mr. Speaker, fellow Knesset Members, for some time now, every week, every Tuesday, I come up to this microphone to express my dismay that to my great sorrow, there is no news about the issue of Jonathan Pollard, or the MIAs of Sultan Yacoub. I must report that yesterday we did hear news about Jonathan Pollard. It was not the news we expected to hear...Yesterday the White House spokesperson said that the position of the President of the United States has not changed in regard to Jonathan Pollard. Moreover, he added that while previously the Prime Minister of Israel has raised the issue of Jonathan Pollard with the President of the United States, to the best of his knowledge, the White House spokesman said the issue was not raised at Camp David.
I do not know how the negotiations will end at Camp David. But it is the hope of all that at least on this one issue we expect to hear some different news - some better news. Thank you....
MK Yuri Stern (Party: National Unity and Israeli Beiteinu)
Honored Mr. Speaker, I shall pick up where MK Yuli Edelstein left off. Unfortunately, to our great dismay, the best news that we got from Camp David - and this is a paradoxical situation - is that the Prime Minister of Israel gave up everything, and received nothing in return....MK. Rechavam Ze'evi (Party: National Unity and Israeli Beiteinu)
Mr. Speaker, fellow Members of Knesset, to lend strength and support to the words of my colleagues, MKs Edelstein and Stern, I would like to say a few words about Prisoner of Zion, Jonathan Pollard.This morning's edition of
HaTzofeh
reports (and I quote):
Prime Minister Ehud Barak avoided requesting the release of Jonathan Pollard from President Clinton at the Camp David summit, White House spokesperson Joe Lockhart said yesterday. "It has not come up that I know of, but I know that it frequently comes up when the President talks to the Prime Minister of Israel, and the Prime Minister of Israel raises it on a regular basis. We're certainly aware of what the government of Israel's view on this subject is. There is no change in the President's view, or the US government's position," the Spokesperson noted.The White House Spokesperson: Barak did not ask for the Release of Jonathan Pollard
This report contradicts other news reports made last week - perhaps for calculated reasons - indicating that Prime Minister Barak had brought this issue up with President Clinton, and hinting at a more positive outcome.
I reported to this Knesset last week that the Knesset Lobby for the Release of Jonathan Pollard appealed to Mr. Barak at Camp David not to forget our prisoner, Jonathan Pollard, Prisoner of Zion.
Speaker of the House
(interjects):Thank you very much. Because of the importance of this issue, I allowed you an extra minute over the time limit.