Transcript: Reshet Bet English News: Esther Pollard Interview
On the close of 22 years in prison for Jonathan Pollard

Transcribed by J4JP
Released November 18, 2007 - The 8th of Kislev 5768

Esther Pollard was interviewed in English today by Mark Weiss for Reshet Bet, Kol Yisrael Radio English evening news. According to the Hebrew lunar calendar, today's date 8 Kislev 5768, corresponds to the Gregorian date of Jonathan Pollard's arrest, November 21, 1985. On this day, Jonathan Pollard marks the completion of 22 years in prison for his service to the security of the State of Israel. In her interview with Reshet Bet, Esther decries the failure of Israeli officials to protest as Prime Minister Ehud Olmert prepares to release another 500 or more Palestinian murderers and terrorists at the behest of the USA, and does not even raise the issue of Jonathan's release. A transcript of the interview follows below.

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RESHET BET EVENING NEWS

ANNOUNCER

: As we heard, the cabinet will meet tomorrow to approve the release of a few hundred Palestinian security prisoners as a good will gesture to Palestinian President Abbas ahead of the Annapolis summit. Esther Pollard, the wife of Jonathan Pollard who has been in a US jail for

22 years

after he was found guilty of spying for Israel, called on the government not to approve the prisoner release until Jonathan is set free. Esther Pollard was speaking to Mark Weiss:

ESTHER POLLARD

: I have not made any political demand upon the government. What I have done, Mark, is to point out how absolutely outrageous it is that not a single minister, not a single MK has made any statement saying that it is both immoral and unjustified to release any prisoners whatsoever as a gesture to the United States, without first securing the release of Jonathan Pollard.

KOL YISRAEL

: Would you indeed like to see a linkage between the two issues; that in return for the release of your husband a certain amount of Palestinian prisoners would be set free?

ESTHER POLLARD

: Absolutely not. There is no linkage whatsoever. Jonathan's release was already secured by Israel in 1998 at Wye. Without consulting us, Israel at that time, paid the price of 750 murderers and terrorists for Jonathan's release, which Israel has yet to collect. There's no reason for Israel to be paying again for the same captive that they have already paid for, but it is certainly time to demand his release I am stunned, at how it is that there isn't a single cabinet minister with enough moral conscience, with enough moral fiber to get up and say: Enough is enough! Before the Americans ask us for one single more gesture, let them first send Pollard home. We've paid the full price for him. It is 22 years. The man is sitting in prison for his service to Israel Where's our national honor? Where's our sense of national pride?

Worse, Mark, where are all of the leaders, so-called leaders, who say they care so much about Jonathan? Where is Eli Yishai? Where is Avidgor Lieberman. Where's Rafi Eitan? Where's Bibi Netanyahu? All of these people say that they care so much about securing Jonathan's release... and they haven't got a word to say??? How is it that we have so little national honor? This is Israel's badge of shame.

  • Click here

    to hear Esther Pollard's interview with Reshet Bet's Mark Weiss in English

  • Click here

     to hear Esther Pollard's interview with Resh Bet's Liat Regev in Hebrew
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