Weekly Commentary: Pollard acceptance of risk for freedom corners Netanyahu

Dr. Aaron Lerner Date: 9 December 2010

This Tuesday Cabinet Secretary Zvi Hauser unwittingly said something very
important about Israel’s handling of the Pollard affair in his testimony
before the Knesset State Control Committee.

In response to numerous calls by the attending MK’s for Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu to formally request now that the United States free
Jonathan Pollard, Hauser both confirmed that no Israeli Government has ever
made an official request for Pollard's release.

And here is the bombshell: Hauser related that the entrenched government
position never to formally request Pollard's release for over a quarter of a
century has been solely out of some concern that submitting such a request
might jeopardize efforts to gain his release.

Hauser suggested that if the MKs who are pressing for a formal Israeli
request for Pollard’s release had access to classified information that
could not discussed in open committee that they would understand why such a
move might hurt Jonathan Pollard’s prospects of being freed.

That’s right.

The concern, according to Hauser, of generations of Israeli governments, was
not that formally asking for the release of Jonathan Pollard might somehow
have an unfavorable impact on Israeli interests, but instead what could, at
best, be termed a paternalistic attitude: that they know how best to gain
Pollard’s freedom and that actually requesting it isn't the right path.

Mind boggling.

For over 25 years Israeli governments have failed to free Pollard with
whatever they may ostensibly have been doing informally behind closed doors
and yet they have the gall to act as if they have a monopoly on wisdom when
it comes to how to handle the matter.

Hauser’s revelation is important because it makes clear that there is only
one person in the world who would bear the risk of negative consequences
should Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu formally request Jonathan Pollard’s
release: Jonathan Pollard himself.

Jonathan Pollard is not a minor.

Jonathan Pollard is compos mentis, able to make his own decisions

And this week Jonathan Pollard reiterated that he is willing to bear the
risks of whatever negative ramifications may result from Israel submitting a
formal request for his release.

Pollard’s statement, combined with Cabinet Secretary Zvi Hauser’s testimony,
strips away any possible justification for not immediately formally
requesting Pollard’s release.

In recent days Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has repeatedly demonstrated
the ability to act quickly and decisively when he saw fit.

Now, before time runs out for Pollard, is the time for Mr. Netanyahu to
openly, formally request Pollard’s freedom.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il