Pollard's attorney: They expect to make Aliyah and come to Israel
Arutz Sheva - November 22, 2020
Pollard's attorney tells Arutz Sheva: Jonathan is very thankful for all that was done for him over the years. It helped him survive.
Eliot Lauer, one of the attorneys for Jonathan Pollard, spoke to Arutz Sheva after the US Parole Commission terminated Pollard's parole and the restrictions that were imposed on him.
"This was the first Shabbat in 35 years where Jonathan has been a truly free man, able to come and go as he wishes. I think the elation and the ecstasy are there. They have a lot of things to do now that they have their lives ahead of them and able to plan," said Lauer.
On whether Pollard will move to Israel now that he's a free man, the attorney said, "They have every expectation to make Aliyah and move to Israel. Because of Esther's medical condition, they first need to get approval from the medical advisers in New York and make sure that she's medically capable of making the trip and that suitable arrangements will be made in Israel to continue her progress. Once that is done, I think it's just a question of logistics, packing up and getting on a plane."
Lauer said that Pollard is "very much aware" of all the organizations that held activities calling for his release over the years "and he is incredibly thankful. He thanked many of the individuals but those are just some of the key individuals. He is well aware over the years how many prayers were made in his name, now many Psalms were recited, how many songs, how many movies. He recognizes that, he appreciates that and he has taken that in his heart."
"I think to a large extent, that has enabled him to come out of prison, come out of this experience, as stable and as normal if you will, as he is. It continues to be important for him today - the support and the love that he was show from so many, and from Israel in particular," he added.
Asked about his own feelings, Lauer said, "My feelings are one of accomplishment, obviously. Jacques [Semmelman] and I worked on this for a bit more than 20 years. There were disappointments and I think there was a tremendous injustice done to Jonathan when he was sentenced. There were continued injustices in that he was allowed to languish in prison for 30 years, the continued injustices with these absurd restrictions, but a tremendous sense of satisfaction that we were able to get him out of prison, and finally we were able to basically eyeball the government down so they had to agree that the restrictions were over. So for us, it's a tremendous sense of accomplishment and I'm proud that we have the opportunity to serve Jonathan and serve the Jewish people."