Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issued another call Sunday to free Jonathan Pollard. His appeal came shortly after Pollard was rushed to a hospital.
“The time has come to free Jonathan Pollard. The Jewish people’s holiday of freedom should become his personal holiday of freedom,” the Prime Minister declared.
“I have done much, and will continue to do much, to obtain his release,” Netanyahu added.
Earlier in the day Pollard’s wife, Esther, met with President Shimon Peres and made an impassioned plea for Israel’s government to do all that it can to free her husband. “Jonathan’s strength is fading,” she said. “I’m asking you to get him released. I don’t want to be Jonathan’s widow.”
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef has also asked Peres to do what he can for Pollard. In a meeting on Sunday morning in honor of Passover, Rabbi Yosef noted Peres’ good relationship with U.S. President Barack Obama, and said, “Pollard is not healthy, and we must do everything we can to free him.”
Peres promised to “do [his] best to get Pollard released.”
Pollard has been serving a life sentence since 1987 {after spending two years in prison before his conviction} for passing classified security information to Israel. The average sentence for his crime is under 7 years in prison.
In recent years Pollard has become seriously ill. Netanyahu and Peres have both called for his release in the past.
Gilad Shalit, who was held captive by Hamas for several years, recently called for Pollard's freedom, as well.