Jonathan Pollard, who served a 30-year prison sentence in the United States after being accused of spying for Israel, sharply criticized the Israeli leadership, including the prime minister, for their conduct since the October 7th massacre.
Pollard said in an interview with Kan Reshet Bet, "The whole country was abandoned and betrayed. We need a clean sweep, with new people replacing the old on the right, left, and center."
Regarding Prime Minister Netanyahu, he demanded that Netanyahu admit his responsibility for the October 7th massacre and stop Qatar from funding Gaza.
He also critiqued what he believes is Netanyahu's excessive attempts to please the USA. “A prime minister worthy of the name would have told the president, ‘You know, we’ll get back to you when we finish what we’ve started, keep your opinion to yourself,' he said, referring to the aborted strike at the end of Operation Rising Lion.
He said that although he had supported the prime minister in the past, he has since lost interest in him. “When I said I couldn’t imagine a better prime minister, unfortunately, I was a bit too naive. Now I can imagine a better prime minister.”
Pollard is currently considering entering political life, and revealed that he has gathered a group of friends to form a new political body. He said he is considering whether to make a new party or take over an existing one.
Regarding the controversy over the New York Times report that he met with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee in Jerusalem in July, Pollard claimed the leak came from the CIA as part of a grudge the agency holds against him. He clarified that the meeting was open and there was nothing improper about it.