All Political Parties Urge Peres: Work to Free Pollard
Ten of Israel's parties from across the political spectrum have united in a call to President Peres to work for Pollard's release.
Elad Benari - IsraelNationalNews - January 4, 2013
Ten parties from across the political spectrum that are running for the 19th Knesset have united in a call to President Shimon Peres to work for the release of Jonathan Pollard, who recently began his 28th year in a U.S. jail.
The parties involved in the latest move are the Jewish Home, Hatnua headed by Tzipi Livni, Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid, Labor, United Torah Judaism, Likud, Shas, Meretz, Kadima and Otzma LeYisrael headed by Aryeh Eldad and Michael Ben-Ari.
In a letter to Peres released Thursday, the parties wrote, "Despite the many differences and disagreements between us which are made even clearer during this period, it is important for us to unite and make a joint request to you on behalf of all our voters."
They added, "Mr. President, we are writing to you after we learned again about a deterioration in Jonathan's condition. On November 21, Jonathan entered his 28th in an American prison. Together with the hope and prayer for his well-being, one cannot ignore the painful reminder that the man they might end his life in prison. We, the representatives of the parties running for the Knesset, appeal to you to act in any way for Jonathan's release before it's too late."
The letter also includes a reference to a recently released CIA report that revealed that Pollard, who was convicted in the U.S. of spying for Israel, never sought to obtain information about U.S. activities. Rather, he was instructed by his Israeli handlers to obtain information about Israel's enemies.
"These days, when Israel and the U.S. are about to start on a clean slate and start a new era, we believe that your special relationship with President Obama may finally bring an end to the tragedy of Jonathan and his family," the parties wrote Peres.
