The Knesset Law Committee held a session today on the detention of Hevron resident Noam Federman. A surprise call for his release came from Meretz faction leader MK Zahava Gal'on. "If the police have evidence against him, he should be indicted," she said, "but if not, he must be freed. It is shameful that I, head of [left-wing] Meretz, have to demand the release of [right-wing] Federman." Federman's wife Elisheva testified before the committee members about the difficult conditions of her husband's imprisonment, and the effects on her family.
Other prisoner-related issues:
Jonathan Pollard, already in the 19th year of U.S. incarceration on charges related to his position as an Israeli agent, has written a sharp letter to Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, asking him why he is not making efforts to obtain his release. After accusing Shalom of a series of sins of both commission and omission in his case, Pollard writes that if in fact Israel is interested in achieving his release, "the most dramatic illustration of Israel's support for me would be an immediate personal visit by Israel's Foreign Minister... If you were to visit me at once and then fly to Washington to make a personal appeal on my behalf, Israel's position would - for the first time - be made perfectly clear to the White House." The entire letter, as well as other documentation on the Pollard case, can be seen here.
Foreign Minister Shalom met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Geneva today - the highest-ranking Israeli with whom Mubarak has met since Ariel Sharon became Prime Minister. Among the issues discussed were Azzam Azzam, an Israeli-Druze citizen who has been imprisoned in Egypt on what Israel feels are trumped-up charges of espionage since November 1996. Azzam's imprisonment was also the topic of a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee today.
Four Israelis held under other circumstances will apparently not be released as early as had been hoped. The four were hiking in the jungles of Colombia three months ago when they were kidnapped by a local rebel organization. The terrorists have since released some of their other hostages, and announced that they would release the Israelis soon. Last night, however, they declared that in protest of certain actions by the Colombian Army, they would delay the release of the Israelis. The father of one of the four expressed disappointment today, but said that he knows that they are alive and in good health, and is optimistic that they will be freed by the end of the month.
Other prisoner-related issues:
Jonathan Pollard, already in the 19th year of U.S. incarceration on charges related to his position as an Israeli agent, has written a sharp letter to Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, asking him why he is not making efforts to obtain his release. After accusing Shalom of a series of sins of both commission and omission in his case, Pollard writes that if in fact Israel is interested in achieving his release, "the most dramatic illustration of Israel's support for me would be an immediate personal visit by Israel's Foreign Minister... If you were to visit me at once and then fly to Washington to make a personal appeal on my behalf, Israel's position would - for the first time - be made perfectly clear to the White House." The entire letter, as well as other documentation on the Pollard case, can be seen here.
Foreign Minister Shalom met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Geneva today - the highest-ranking Israeli with whom Mubarak has met since Ariel Sharon became Prime Minister. Among the issues discussed were Azzam Azzam, an Israeli-Druze citizen who has been imprisoned in Egypt on what Israel feels are trumped-up charges of espionage since November 1996. Azzam's imprisonment was also the topic of a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee today.
Four Israelis held under other circumstances will apparently not be released as early as had been hoped. The four were hiking in the jungles of Colombia three months ago when they were kidnapped by a local rebel organization. The terrorists have since released some of their other hostages, and announced that they would release the Israelis soon. Last night, however, they declared that in protest of certain actions by the Colombian Army, they would delay the release of the Israelis. The father of one of the four expressed disappointment today, but said that he knows that they are alive and in good health, and is optimistic that they will be freed by the end of the month.