Pollard to NRG: The Ones Who Handed Me Over, Now Expel Jews

In a moving letter Jonathan Pollard expresses his support for the struggle against the disengagement plan.

Menachem Rath - NRG [Maariv] - August 16, 2005

Translated from Hebrew by J4JP

Televised scenes of the people of Gush Katif fighting the plan to evacuate them from their homes have reached audiences all over the world, and even as far as FCI Butner, the American prison where Jonathan Pollard is incarcerated. In an emotional letter sent via his wife Esther, Pollard expressed his support for the people of Gush Katif and the Northern Shomron. "Whoever takes part in this heroic struggle, is fighting not only for the Land of Israel, but no less than this, for the existence and future of the State itself," he wrote.

In a letter sent via his wife, Pollard writes that since he is the only Israeli in the prison where he is held, he is constantly being forced to be the one to explain the disengagement plan. "In my unit I am the only Israeli, so I am the one who is always called upon by the other prisoners and the guards to explain the televised scenes from Gush Katif that they see on the prison televisions.

'Why is your government doing this?' I am asked over and over again. What are you getting out of it? What good will come of this? Again and again, I am forced to shamefully lower my eyes and say, "This is what happens when Jews forget who they are, and lose sight of their values."

In his moving letter, Pollard draws a parallel between the soldiers who have had the mission to expel Jews imposed upon them, and those who handed him over to the Americans. "I watch the soldier on television, fulfilling his mission with tears in his eyes. He listens to the cries of the People of Gush Katif, but has no response to their heart-rending pleas.

"I watch him, and it brings to mind the image of the official at the Israeli Embassy in Washington who, 20 years ago, threw me out, straight into the arms of the FBI. He also had tears in his eyes as he was throwing me out. He too had nothing to say, except, 'These are my orders; I have to carry them out.'

"The same policies that allowed a government to give the order to expel and abandon an agent who had faithfully served the State of Israel, now allows the government give the cruel and immoral order to expel citizens - amongst the best in the land - who have devoted their lives to the State and who have distinguished themselves in their service to the State, not only by settling the land, but also in the Army and in every other facet of our national life."

Pollard concluded his letter with praise for those who are taking part in resisting the disengagement plan. "Whoever takes part in this heroic struggle is fighting not only for the Land of Israel, but no less than this, for the existence and future of the State itself."

Justice4JP Note: