The visit, which is expected to take place next week, was decided upon following a meeting between Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Sunday. Ambassador Danny Ayalon will visit Pollard at the federal penitentiary in Butner, North Carolina, probably next Tuesday.
Two months ago, Ayalon came under sharp criticism for neglecting to visit Pollard - even though he had a speaking engagement within thirty miles of Pollard's prison.
A month ago, Arutz-7 reported that Prime Minister Sharon told U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that he would order Ayalon to visit Pollard.
Pollard is into his 20th year of a life sentence for passing intelligence information to Israel.
Following a meeting with European Union officials in Jerusalem Sunday, Shalom told reporters that Pollard has suffered too much already. "The time has come for Jonathan Pollard to be released from prison and move to Israel,” Shalom said.
The Foreign Minister said that in addition to Ayalon, several Israeli officials will be visiting Pollard in coming weeks.
Only a day earlier, lawyers for the jailed American intelligence analyst said they are filing a petition with the Supreme Court to compel Israel to declare Pollard a Prisoner of Zion.
Deputy Minister Orit Noked (Labor) said Sunday that Pollard’s release must be made a higher priority. “American involvement in the disengagement plan and ongoing negotiations towards release of terrorists by Israel," she said, "dictate that Israel demand Pollard's release by America as a reciprocal gesture.”
Prime Minister Sharon has been harshly criticized by Pollard activists and Knesset Members for doing very little to secure Pollard's release, and for failing to bring the case up during his meetings with US President George W. Bush.
Following his recent visit to US President Bush’s Texas ranch, sources in Sharon's office said that Bush had hinted that he might pardon Pollard if Sharon follows up his retreat from Gaza with a similar withdrawal from Judea and Samaria areas.
Pollard supporters said that this was an acute case of misinformation. Pollard's wife Esther said at the time that reports of a possible deal for Jonathan's release were simply meant to distract public opinion regarding the withdrawal plan.
"Whenever a new political deal threatens to tear the nation apart or calls into question the propriety of the prime minister's office," she told WorldNetDaily, "suddenly some new promise is flashed in the media that Pollard may be released in return for the odious deal. This is simply spin to help soothe public opposition to Sharon's Gaza evacuation."
Two months ago, Ayalon came under sharp criticism for neglecting to visit Pollard - even though he had a speaking engagement within thirty miles of Pollard's prison.
A month ago, Arutz-7 reported that Prime Minister Sharon told U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that he would order Ayalon to visit Pollard.
Pollard is into his 20th year of a life sentence for passing intelligence information to Israel.
Following a meeting with European Union officials in Jerusalem Sunday, Shalom told reporters that Pollard has suffered too much already. "The time has come for Jonathan Pollard to be released from prison and move to Israel,” Shalom said.
The Foreign Minister said that in addition to Ayalon, several Israeli officials will be visiting Pollard in coming weeks.
Only a day earlier, lawyers for the jailed American intelligence analyst said they are filing a petition with the Supreme Court to compel Israel to declare Pollard a Prisoner of Zion.
Deputy Minister Orit Noked (Labor) said Sunday that Pollard’s release must be made a higher priority. “American involvement in the disengagement plan and ongoing negotiations towards release of terrorists by Israel," she said, "dictate that Israel demand Pollard's release by America as a reciprocal gesture.”
Prime Minister Sharon has been harshly criticized by Pollard activists and Knesset Members for doing very little to secure Pollard's release, and for failing to bring the case up during his meetings with US President George W. Bush.
Following his recent visit to US President Bush’s Texas ranch, sources in Sharon's office said that Bush had hinted that he might pardon Pollard if Sharon follows up his retreat from Gaza with a similar withdrawal from Judea and Samaria areas.
Pollard supporters said that this was an acute case of misinformation. Pollard's wife Esther said at the time that reports of a possible deal for Jonathan's release were simply meant to distract public opinion regarding the withdrawal plan.
"Whenever a new political deal threatens to tear the nation apart or calls into question the propriety of the prime minister's office," she told WorldNetDaily, "suddenly some new promise is flashed in the media that Pollard may be released in return for the odious deal. This is simply spin to help soothe public opposition to Sharon's Gaza evacuation."