Prime Minister Ariel Sharon arrived in the US last night, amidst reports of an erosion in the Israeli position for demanding the release of Jonathan Pollard. Reports have been received that the Sharon delegation fears pressing for Pollard\'s release in order not to \"introduce unpleasantness into the atmosphere of the first working session with the Americans.\" Sharon spokesman Raanan Gissin said yesterday that the Pollard release would be discussed, but could not say if it would be brought up with President Bush directly. IMRA news agency received a statement from Jonathan Pollard commenting on the reported Israeli delegation\'s hesitations. Excerpts follow:
\"No Government of Israel has ever pursued this case as a matter of national priority. Even in those instances when people like Binyamin Netanyahu seemed to have been on the verge of securing my release, they were never willing to push the matter to the point where they could be successful... The Americans understand this kind of tentative support very well and act accordingly.
\"If Prime Minister Sharon is not willing to make a clear and unambiguous case for my release and repatriation at this first meeting with President Bush, then he will never be ready for it… Americans understand a country\'s support for and commitment to agents and soldiers who are in harm\'s way...
\"We have a new legal case in the United States and there are many grounds on which the American government can act and can justify some kind of relief in this matter...
\"Basically there is no difference between me right now and that poor soldier who was left to bleed at Joseph\'s Tomb. I am bleeding right now and Sharon has it in his power to rescue me... Sharon has already made the commitment on CNN to seek my release in his meeting with Bush and if he equivocates on it now, if the Israelis turn this again into a side issue with the Americans, then this was just a tactic and a ruse.\"
\"No Government of Israel has ever pursued this case as a matter of national priority. Even in those instances when people like Binyamin Netanyahu seemed to have been on the verge of securing my release, they were never willing to push the matter to the point where they could be successful... The Americans understand this kind of tentative support very well and act accordingly.
\"If Prime Minister Sharon is not willing to make a clear and unambiguous case for my release and repatriation at this first meeting with President Bush, then he will never be ready for it… Americans understand a country\'s support for and commitment to agents and soldiers who are in harm\'s way...
\"We have a new legal case in the United States and there are many grounds on which the American government can act and can justify some kind of relief in this matter...
\"Basically there is no difference between me right now and that poor soldier who was left to bleed at Joseph\'s Tomb. I am bleeding right now and Sharon has it in his power to rescue me... Sharon has already made the commitment on CNN to seek my release in his meeting with Bush and if he equivocates on it now, if the Israelis turn this again into a side issue with the Americans, then this was just a tactic and a ruse.\"