Several Knesset Members of the lobby on behalf of Jonathan Pollard are working on a new law aimed at stepping up activities on behalf of the imprisoned Israeli - but Pollard himself says it will do more harm than good.
MKs Gilad Erdan and Orit Noked, who head the lobby, are close to submitting a bill that will include the following elements: a stipulation that the government must formulate a plan of action on behalf of Pollard; a request to the relevant US authorities towards opening negotiations for his release; an obligation upon Israel's Ambassador in the U.S. to visit Pollard once every six months; an increase of public relations efforts in Israel and the U.S.; a required periodic report by the designated Cabinet minister to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee; and the establishment of a 4.5 million shekel fund to cover all costs related to the Pollard effort.
Esther Pollard, however, says that the law will not serve its purpose, but will rather "replace effective government action with 'public support activities.'" The bill "will provide the MKs with lots of PR," she told IMRA, "but it does not obligate the government to take significant steps to free Jonathan. All they have done is legislate form over substance... Consider the case of Ron Arad. Every year the Air Force
flies in formation over Arad's home in a salute to him. On his birthday, thousands of balloons are released in the air to 'remember him.' Over the years that he has been in captivity, there has been no lack of government 'activities' for Ron Arad. But every single opportunity to secure his release - including this recent obscenity of a deal that brought Elchanan Tenenbaum home - has been ignored or blown off for nearly two decades!"
Jonathan Pollard himself says he asked the MKs to include the following three points in legislation on his behalf:
* Formalization of a clear government policy on the case.
* Formalization of Jonathan's captivity status
* Prison visits from the Ambassador, who will be granted stronger authorities based on the above two points.
Arutz-7's repeated attempts to obtain comments from MKs Erdan, Noked and Eitan were unsuccessful. Staffers for Erdan explained that he was busy organizing today's rally in Jerusalem on behalf of Pollard, but that he would "be happy" to talk tomorrow.
MKs Gilad Erdan and Orit Noked, who head the lobby, are close to submitting a bill that will include the following elements: a stipulation that the government must formulate a plan of action on behalf of Pollard; a request to the relevant US authorities towards opening negotiations for his release; an obligation upon Israel's Ambassador in the U.S. to visit Pollard once every six months; an increase of public relations efforts in Israel and the U.S.; a required periodic report by the designated Cabinet minister to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee; and the establishment of a 4.5 million shekel fund to cover all costs related to the Pollard effort.
Esther Pollard, however, says that the law will not serve its purpose, but will rather "replace effective government action with 'public support activities.'" The bill "will provide the MKs with lots of PR," she told IMRA, "but it does not obligate the government to take significant steps to free Jonathan. All they have done is legislate form over substance... Consider the case of Ron Arad. Every year the Air Force
flies in formation over Arad's home in a salute to him. On his birthday, thousands of balloons are released in the air to 'remember him.' Over the years that he has been in captivity, there has been no lack of government 'activities' for Ron Arad. But every single opportunity to secure his release - including this recent obscenity of a deal that brought Elchanan Tenenbaum home - has been ignored or blown off for nearly two decades!"
Jonathan Pollard himself says he asked the MKs to include the following three points in legislation on his behalf:
* Formalization of a clear government policy on the case.
* Formalization of Jonathan's captivity status
* Prison visits from the Ambassador, who will be granted stronger authorities based on the above two points.
Arutz-7's repeated attempts to obtain comments from MKs Erdan, Noked and Eitan were unsuccessful. Staffers for Erdan explained that he was busy organizing today's rally in Jerusalem on behalf of Pollard, but that he would "be happy" to talk tomorrow.