Yossi Abramson of Jerusalem, acting on behalf of a group of unaffiliated citizens who are concerned for the plight of Jonathan Pollard, has sent a letter to several government ministers and officials. The letter reminds them that the upcoming holiday is an opportune time to ask the U.S. President to make a gesture to the Jewish State and pardon Israeli citizen Pollard.
"There have been precedents," the Abramson letter states, "in which President Bush was willing to pardon Pollard in honor of the Passover holiday - both this year and in 2001. It would seem that the occasion of the Rosh HaShanah holiday would also be an opportunity for President Bush to agree to utilize as a fitting time to free him."
The letter asks that an official request be sent "as early as today" to the U.S. leader, asking that Pollard be returned home in time for the holiday. "Until then," the letter continues, "the Ambassador in the U.S. must be instructed to visit Pollard frequently, in order that his conditions be improved."
Though other Israeli officials have visited Pollard, Israel's Ambassador to the U.S. has visited him in prison only one time in the nearly 21 years he has been jailed.
The letter was sent to Foreign Minister Tzippy Livny, Trade Minister Eli Yishai (Shas), and Defense Minister Amir Peretz. In addition, Science Minister Ophir Pines (Labor) and MK Uri Ariel, both of whom have been active in calling for more effective Israeli government action to achieve Pollard's release, received copies, as did some other members of Kadima, the National Union and Shas.
Pollard is nearing the end of his 21st year in prison on charges of passing classified information that are normally punished by 2-4 years in prison. He is said to be in grave medical condition.
The Katif Connection
One of the citizens on behalf of whom Abramson wrote is Asher Mivtzari, a former resident of Gush Katif who feels that his own expulsion and the plight of Pollard are inexorably linked. Last year, at the height of his forced and extended stay in a hotel with his family and neighbors, Mivtzari said,
"The more we remain under these difficult conditions, without a home, the more we realize that this is not our personal problem, but rather a real ethical deficiency of our leadership. It is so reminiscent of the way the State has abandoned Jonathan Pollard - and I hear many people from Gush Katif saying the same thing..."
Speaking with Arutz-7 today, Mivtzari said, "At this time, when we are trying to extricate our kidnapped soldiers from Gaza and Lebanon, the efforts must also include the one who can so much more easily be released - Jonathan Pollard. We know who's holding him, and we know where. This a real test case as to the seriousness of the government's intentions."
"We sense," Mivtzari said, "that, to a large extent, it is dependent on the Government of Israel and Prime Minister Olmert. We want to return to Gush Katif, and we know that we will - but we don't expect it to happen in the coming weeks. But Pollard is a different story: if the government takes action, this injustice can be rectified in a matter of days, and we can have him home in time for the holiday!"
For readers' convenience, the fax number of some of the above-mentioned officials are as follows:
Foreign Minister Tzippy Livny - 02-666-2909
Defense Minister Amir Peretz - 03-697-6218
Trade Minister Eli Yishai (Shas) - 02-530-3506
-- from abroad, substitute 972 for the leading 0.
"There have been precedents," the Abramson letter states, "in which President Bush was willing to pardon Pollard in honor of the Passover holiday - both this year and in 2001. It would seem that the occasion of the Rosh HaShanah holiday would also be an opportunity for President Bush to agree to utilize as a fitting time to free him."
The letter asks that an official request be sent "as early as today" to the U.S. leader, asking that Pollard be returned home in time for the holiday. "Until then," the letter continues, "the Ambassador in the U.S. must be instructed to visit Pollard frequently, in order that his conditions be improved."
Though other Israeli officials have visited Pollard, Israel's Ambassador to the U.S. has visited him in prison only one time in the nearly 21 years he has been jailed.
The letter was sent to Foreign Minister Tzippy Livny, Trade Minister Eli Yishai (Shas), and Defense Minister Amir Peretz. In addition, Science Minister Ophir Pines (Labor) and MK Uri Ariel, both of whom have been active in calling for more effective Israeli government action to achieve Pollard's release, received copies, as did some other members of Kadima, the National Union and Shas.
Pollard is nearing the end of his 21st year in prison on charges of passing classified information that are normally punished by 2-4 years in prison. He is said to be in grave medical condition.
The Katif Connection
One of the citizens on behalf of whom Abramson wrote is Asher Mivtzari, a former resident of Gush Katif who feels that his own expulsion and the plight of Pollard are inexorably linked. Last year, at the height of his forced and extended stay in a hotel with his family and neighbors, Mivtzari said,
"The more we remain under these difficult conditions, without a home, the more we realize that this is not our personal problem, but rather a real ethical deficiency of our leadership. It is so reminiscent of the way the State has abandoned Jonathan Pollard - and I hear many people from Gush Katif saying the same thing..."
Speaking with Arutz-7 today, Mivtzari said, "At this time, when we are trying to extricate our kidnapped soldiers from Gaza and Lebanon, the efforts must also include the one who can so much more easily be released - Jonathan Pollard. We know who's holding him, and we know where. This a real test case as to the seriousness of the government's intentions."
"We sense," Mivtzari said, "that, to a large extent, it is dependent on the Government of Israel and Prime Minister Olmert. We want to return to Gush Katif, and we know that we will - but we don't expect it to happen in the coming weeks. But Pollard is a different story: if the government takes action, this injustice can be rectified in a matter of days, and we can have him home in time for the holiday!"
For readers' convenience, the fax number of some of the above-mentioned officials are as follows:
Foreign Minister Tzippy Livny - 02-666-2909
Defense Minister Amir Peretz - 03-697-6218
Trade Minister Eli Yishai (Shas) - 02-530-3506
-- from abroad, substitute 972 for the leading 0.