Activists Celebrate Pollard's 50th Birthday

Tal Yamin-Wolfowitz - Maariv - July 22, 2004

Movement held demonstration 'party' in front of US consulate. Sends letter to PM demanding change in attitude towards convicted spy.

The movement for the release of Jonathan Pollard celebrated the convicted spy's 50th birthday in front of the US consulate in Jerusalem on Thursday.

Adi Ginzburg, one of the participants, said, "If the prime minister would have invested in Pollard one tenth of what he had invested in [former Hezbollah captive] Tennebaum, Pollard would have been able to celebrate his 50th birthday with us".

Following the 'party', the activists walked to the official residence of the prime minister and handed the guard at the entrance a letter to Ariel Sharon and Pollard's birthday cake.

In the letter, they accuse Sharon of ill-handling of the Pollard issue. The letter reads, "Mr. Prime Minister, we believe every person can change his ways and amend his deeds. You can still fix what has been distorted If the value of 'never leave a comrade in the battle field' still has a meaning to you, send our ambassador today to visit Jonathan and tell him that from now on Israel will do its utmost to bring him home".

"If you do not intend to put an end to the his alienation and abandonment, you are invited to eat his birthday cake yourself. It would be an act that would well characterize your general treatment of the case".

J4JP Note:

According to the Hebrew (Lunar) calendar, Jonathan's 50th birthday falls on Chet Av (Monday, July 26th). According to the Gregorian (secular) calendar, Jonathan was born on August 7, 1954. He was arrested November 21, 1985 for his activities on behalf of Israel. He has been in prison for nearly 2 decades.