Proposal to Free Pollard for 3-Month Extension of Building Freeze

Justice4JPnews - September 19, 2010

J4JP Disclaimer

Jonathan Pollard's opposition to gaining his freedom at the expense of more Jewish blood being spilled (by the release of terrorist murderers or by the uprooting of Jews from the Land in any form) is well known. Therefore J4JP's posting the following news item should not be misconstrued as endorsement of the Pollard-for-a-Freeze-Extension proposal. This proposal calls upon the US to prove its own commitment to the peace process by freeing Jonathan Pollard in return for the three-month extension of the building freeze the US is demanding Israel implement when the current freeze expires on 26 September. The logic is impeccable: it posits that an offer by the US to free Pollard in exchange for an extension of the building freeze is an offer which Israel could not refuse. The commentary and subsequent update is intended only as an "FYI" for our readers.

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Observation: Proposed Pollard-Freeze Extension Exchange Tests Commitment of Obama Administration To Peace Process

Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA - Date: 18 September 2010

IMRA understands that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu would have no problem getting his cabinet to approve a three month extension of the settlement construction freeze in exchange for the release of Jonathan Pollard. Just as important - if not more - none of the parties in the ruling coalition are expected to threaten to leave the government in the event that such a deal is implemented.

In the coming days we will see just how seriously interested the Obama administration is in extending the settlement construction freeze for another three months.

They certainly "talk the talk" when it comes to lecturing Israel about the need to make "sacrifices for peace"

But now the shoe is on the other foot.

Is President Obama willing to make a "sacrifice for peace"?

President Obama can release Jonathan Pollard from prison (where he has already served several-fold

the sentence

The proposed Pollard-Freeze Extension exchange is probably the most straight-forward test of an American administration's commitment to the peace process since the very start of Oslo.

A deal that requires no more than a thirty second phone call from Washington to set into motion.

By the way: now that the proposed exchange trade is public, what will J Street and other American "pro peace" groups that have no qualms publicly pressing Israel to "make sacrifice for peace" do? Will they publicly press President Obama to offer the exchange?

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Update: Leading Israeli peace activist advises White House of proposed Pollard-Freeze Extension Exchange

Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA - 19 September 2010

A leading Israeli peace activist who heads a well known Israeli organization that promotes the peace process both in Israel and overseas advised IMRA this morning that he was bringing the proposed Pollard-Freeze Extension Exchange proposal (see above) to the attention of his White House contact.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
imra@netvision.net.il
www.imra.org.il