Text: Yosef Mendelevitch Letter Protesting Denial of PoZ Status

J4JP Release - January 14, 2005

[Translated from Hebrew by J4JP]

January 9, 2005

To The Prime Minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon

Shalom rav!

I have learned that the government committee which awards certificates to Prisoners of Zion has rejected the request to grant Prisoner of Zion status to Israeli national hero, Jonathan Pollard, G-d bless his soul!

The committee claims that it is not authorized to rule on such governmental issues. What administrative committee is authorized to decide that Mr. Pollard is a national hero?! Fortunately, it is not up to government functionaries to determine something which the People of Israel determined long ago.

It is without a doubt, utterly ridiculous [that the committee has] determined that according to some administrative norms, a national hero who sacrificed himself to save Jewish lives, and who was arrested for his self sacrifice on behalf of Israel, is not a Prisoner of Zion!

I, and the rest of the Prisoners of Zion, strongly demand that you personally intervene to correct this slap-in-the-face and use your governmental authority to extend this honor to Mr. Pollard.

Moreover it is certainly time for the Government to end its shameful behavior regarding the endless calls to secure the immediate release of Mr. Pollard.

If, from your point of view, Mr. Pollard is not deserving of this honor, then I a holder of this certificate prefer to be what I am without any certificate. So shall many, many other prisoners of Zion.

(signed)

Yosef Mendelevitch
Former Prisoner of Zion, 11 years in prison on behalf of the Zionist struggle.