PM Barak & MK Ze'evi Letters: No Bank Account for Pollard

Justice4JP Release - February 15, 2006

A canard which has dogged the Pollard case since its inception is the lie that Jonathan Pollard either received money from the Israeli Government, or is receiving money from the Israeli Government, or that a secret bank account exists and money is being put away for Pollard by the Israeli Government.

All of the above claims are simply lies which have at various times been leaked to the media by "unnamed Government officials" in order to discredit Pollard and undermine public support for him.

These lies have become so routine that -even though they both know the truth - the State's Defense Counsel had no shame in introducing such lies into its recent response to Pollard's appeal to the High Court of Israel to be recognized as a Prisoner of Zion; and the High Court of Israel brazenly accepted these lies at face value, without a shred of evidence!

The truth is:

neither Jonathan Pollard, nor his wife, Esther Pollard, has ever received a cent from the Government of Israel. Not now. Not in the past. Not ever. And there is no secret bank account for Pollard for future use.

Some years ago, anxious to put an end to these lies about Pollard once and for all, Minister Rechavaam Ze'evi, then head of the Knesset Lobby for Jonathan Pollard, wrote a letter to Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ehud Barak in which he asked a series of questions to clarify the matter. PM Barak responded and unequivocally laid to rest all of the lies about Pollard having received money from Israel and about the existence of a secret bank account in Israel.

The correspondence between Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ehud Barak and MK Rechavaam Ze'evi (translated below) occurred in March of 2000, following the publication of these lies in an authoritative-sounding article in Ha'aretz newspaper. The translation of these letters and the original documents are being published on the web for the first time. English translation of both letters follows below.

Click here to see the original documents.

  • See Also: Yediot Achronot: Defense Ministry Says Pollard Didn't Get Money - July 16, 2004

    • Minster Ze'evi's Letter to PM Barak

    (Translated to English by J4JP)

    The Knesset

    Member of Knesset

    1 of Adar II, 5760
    March 8, 2000
    Letter no M-8932

    To Defense Minister Ehud Barak The Kyria
    Tel Aviv

    Shalom rav! (Warm greetings!)

    RE: Bank Account for Jonathan Pollard

    I have learned from the media that "Jonathan Pollard's bank account in Israel is enriched every month by triple his last salary at the time he was active and is linked to the rate of the dollar and to the cost of living." (Ha'aretz 31/01/00).

    I would appreciate receiving your responses to the following questions:

    1) Is this information true?

    2) Has this information been shared with Jonathan Pollard?

    3) Who is the government official responsible for depositing money into this account?

    4) Who is authorized to access this account?

    (signed)

    With blessing MK Rechavaam Ze'evi

    PM/ DM Ehud Barak's Response to MK Ze'vi

    (Translated to English by J4JP)

    The Ministry of Defense

    Minister of Defense

    The Kyria
    10 of Adar II, 5760
    March 17, 2000

    To: MK Rechavaam Ze'evi
    The Knesset
    Jerusalem

    Shalom rav! (Warm greetings!)

    Re:

    Jonathan Pollard

    In response to your letter M-8932 of March 8, 2000.

    The information which was published regarding a bank account in Israel for Pollard, is not true. Nevertheless, the State has informed the High Court of Justice, in response to a petition submitted by Mr. Pollard, that it will not evade its responsibilities to take care of Pollard, when he is released from prison.

    (signed) with blessing Ehud Barak Prime Minister and Defense Minister

    See Also: