Pollard to Eitan: Formal Govt. Policy Needed to Free Me

Justice4JP Release - September 18, 2003

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Dear Mickey:

RE: Prison visit by Knesset delegation proposed for September 21, 2003

Several deeply troubling developments have recently occurred which make it difficult for me to meet with Members of Knesset before specific steps are taken.

These troubling events include:

1. Meeting with the cabinet after his most recent trip to the U.S., Prime Minister Sharon responded to a minister's question about why he did not bring up the issue of my release with President Bush by stating: "Beggars cannot make noise."
   [See: PM Sharon Did Not Give Pollard Petition to Bush.]

2. On September 1st, the eve of my appearance in court in Washington, the Consul General of Israel in New York appeared on CNN in his official capacity to articulate the Israeli Government's position on my case. The Consul General's statement was extremely damaging. He falsely characterized me as a "rogue" agent, stating that I had put Israel in a terrible predicament. He repeatedly stressed that Israel's only interest in my fate was "humanitarian" because of my poor health and because of the long duration of my sentence. He painted such a negative picture of me and of Israel's lack of interest in me that a poll taken after he appeared on television had 70 percent of the audience opposing clemency for me.

3. Yet another new Pollard "committee" has been formed in Jerusalem - or should I say yet another Chevra Keddisha has been appointed to bury me alive again. I understand that most of the old members are back again, so are you and so is the current cabinet secretary. But the one person whose presence is conspicuously absent is that of my own representative, my attorney, Larry Dub.

In light of what the above 3 developments suggest about my current status in Jerusalem, I am not able to meet with any Knesset members until the government undertakes two conciliatory gestures as confidence-building measures:

The issuance of a clearly-articulated government policy position on my case, signed by the Prime Minister, which includes the following statements:

1. Jonathan Pollard was a bona fide Israeli agent who acted in good faith at the behest of his government superiors;

2. The Government of Israel has taken full responsibility for the operation and has formally apologized to the United States;

3. The Government of Israel is outraged at the sentence and treatment of her agent, Jonathan Pollard, which has been unjustified by the facts and circumstances of his case. In particular, the Government of Israel draws attention to the recent admission of Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger in which he concedes "the Pollard matter was comparatively minor. It was made far bigger than its actual importance." [Excerpted from: Caspar's Ghost]

4. The Government of Israel expects the United States to honor all prior commitments made to free Mr. Pollard;

5. The recent Knesset resolution signed by 112 Members of Knesset calling for the repatriation of Mr. Pollard underscores the fact that Mr. Pollard's release is viewed as a national priority by both the Government and people of Israel.

The above policy statement must be circulated on Capitol Hill, with a cover letter signed by P.M. Sharon, F.M. Silvan Shalom, President Moshe Katzav, and the Speaker of the Knesset. Clearly, any visits to the U.S. by MKs and cabinet members must be used as an opportunity to underscore the seriousness with which the Israeli government supports this policy statement.

The immediate inclusion of my attorney Larry Dub in the new Pollard "committee".

This is a minimal gesture designed to reassure me of this group's willingness to undertake immediate and effective steps to gain my release. A refusal to include my representative in this committee will only confirm the government's continuing duplicity and collusion in my continuing incarceration.

Mickey, I believe that it will be obvious and self-evident to you why I am unable to meet with any Members of Knesset until the above 2 safeguards are implemented. They are necessary to counter the damage recently done to my case by Prime Minister Sharon and his New York Consul General and to assure that this will not occur again. I trust that you realize that I cannot consider signing off on a prison visit if the above minimal reassurances are not forthcoming. Please convey your response to my attorney, Larry Dub.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Stay well,
Jonathan Pollard