Jonathan and Esther pollard have issued an indignant response to the violence visited upon several pro-Pollard protestors at the hands of North American delegates when they interrupted Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s speech to the United Jewish Communities’ General Assembly in Jerusalem. Jonathan Pollard, his wife and their lawyer, have written a letter to the organizers of the GA to protest their refusal to act on Pollard's behalf:
“We were sickened to hear and read that the leadership of the United Jewish
Communities (UJC) ‘does not take a position on the Pollard case’ (Doron Krakow, Director General of the 2003 UJC General Assembly); and that the Pollard issue is a concern only ‘for the Israeli government’ (Steve Hoffman, UJC President and CEO).
“We also take no pleasure in noting that the UJC categorically refused all of our entreaties to place my case on the official agenda of its annual General Assembly (GA) in Jerusalem. When Pollard supporters held a demonstration to protest this callous rejection, on the outside they were shunned by the GA, and on the inside they were cruelly beaten by UJC delegates!
“How can it be that one of your own constituent member groups, the UJC, could behave with such 'sinat chinam' - such causeless hatred towards fellow Jews who were, after all, only trying to bring to their attention the mitzvah [Jewish injunction -ed] of pidyon shvuyim [redeeming captives –ed]? We sincerely hope that the Conference will make known to the executive of the UJC, its condemnation of their outrageous breach of Conference policy and of the brutality to which Pollard supporters were subjected. It would be fitting if the Conference were to send a formal apology to those unfortunate souls who were beaten up.
“…On November 21, 2003 I began my 19th year of a life sentence. Esther and I have had enough of excuses and procrastination. Time has run out, and once and for all the Conference must take forceful action to work towards justice and equality for me and for the Jewish People.”
Police chose not to charge the 15 protestors, a group of young men and women now known as the ‘Pollard 15,’ for disrupting the Prime Minister’s speech. They were, however, assaulted by many of the GA attendees seated near them.
“We were sickened to hear and read that the leadership of the United Jewish
Communities (UJC) ‘does not take a position on the Pollard case’ (Doron Krakow, Director General of the 2003 UJC General Assembly); and that the Pollard issue is a concern only ‘for the Israeli government’ (Steve Hoffman, UJC President and CEO).
“We also take no pleasure in noting that the UJC categorically refused all of our entreaties to place my case on the official agenda of its annual General Assembly (GA) in Jerusalem. When Pollard supporters held a demonstration to protest this callous rejection, on the outside they were shunned by the GA, and on the inside they were cruelly beaten by UJC delegates!
“How can it be that one of your own constituent member groups, the UJC, could behave with such 'sinat chinam' - such causeless hatred towards fellow Jews who were, after all, only trying to bring to their attention the mitzvah [Jewish injunction -ed] of pidyon shvuyim [redeeming captives –ed]? We sincerely hope that the Conference will make known to the executive of the UJC, its condemnation of their outrageous breach of Conference policy and of the brutality to which Pollard supporters were subjected. It would be fitting if the Conference were to send a formal apology to those unfortunate souls who were beaten up.
“…On November 21, 2003 I began my 19th year of a life sentence. Esther and I have had enough of excuses and procrastination. Time has run out, and once and for all the Conference must take forceful action to work towards justice and equality for me and for the Jewish People.”
Police chose not to charge the 15 protestors, a group of young men and women now known as the ‘Pollard 15,’ for disrupting the Prime Minister’s speech. They were, however, assaulted by many of the GA attendees seated near them.