Response of Foreign Minister to Jonathan Pollard's Letter of December 6, 2003

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
FOREIGN MINISTER'S BUREAU

January 21, 2004

Dear Mr. Pollard,

The Foreign Minister has instructed me to respond, on his behalf, to your letter of 7 December 2003. [J4JP: date of letter was December 6, 2003].

The Foreign Minister has read your letter with great interest. He is fully and completely aware of the difficult and unjustifiably protracted nature of your hardship. He remembers well the public event that he and his wife held for the sake of your cause, and he continues to work on your behalf, even if you are unaware or uninformed of his activities. These actions include, among other things, the close guidance he constantly provides to Ambassador Yoram Ben-Zeev, his personal representative on the special committee working to promote your release.

The profound regret of the Minster, our efforts, which have been only partially publicized, have yet to bear fruit. The Foreign Minister has instructed his representative to raise the issue of your release in all of the meetings he conducts with Congressmen, Jewish community leaders, and administration officials.

The issue of your release has been, and will continue to be pursued with a wide range of prominent and influential Americans, including senior legislators, members of the administration, Christian and Jewish leadership, and representatives of the media.

I profoundly regret that our efforts have not yet been met with success, yet the Foreign Minister wishes me convey to you his sincere assurances that we have absolutely no intention of forsaking the issue and will continue our earnest efforts to secure your release.

On behalf of the Minster, I would like to wish you and your wife the best of health. There is nothing that the Minister, and all of us, would like to see more, than a speedy realization of 'Pidyon Shevuyim' - the achievement of freedom for those who are captive.

Ron Prosor
(signed)

Chief of Policy Staff to the Minister