Weekly Commentary: Jonathan Pollard Remains a Hostage
Dr. Aaron Lerner Date: 17 November 2011

Jonathan Pollard is a hostage.

Yes. Those are strong words.

But let’s consider the situation today:

We have virtually a wall-to-wall consensus of top American officials who
have intimate knowledge of the operation stating now for the record that
after serving close to 27 years in prison, justice requires the immediate
and unconditional release of Jonathan Pollard.

On 4 January 2011 Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu publicly and formally
apologized for the operation on behalf of the Jewish State and requested
that President Obama free Pollard.

Contrary to protocol over ten months have passed and to this day there has
been no response.

On 5 April 2011 President Shimon Peres met with President Obama at the White
House and again requested, in the name of the State of Israel that President
Obama free Pollard – hand delivering a letter from Pollard in which he
expresses remorse for his actions and pleaded on compelling humanitarian
grounds to be released.

Again contrary to protocol to this day there has been no response.

Senior American officials have confirmed in the past that Pollard is being
held by the United States as a “chip” that could be given to Israel in
compensation for Palestinian-Israeli final status concessions. In point of
fact, Prime Minister Netanyahu already “paid” for Pollard’s release at the
1998 Wye Summit, but then- President Clinton received the payment [the
release of Palestinian terrorists] but reneged on his end of the deal,
freedom for Pollard.

So here we are.

Justice requires the immediate unilateral release of Pollard, with no quid
pro quo.

Pleas from both the Prime Minister and President of Israel to free Pollard
have been ignored by President Obama.

And all this because America is continuing to hold Pollard until Israel pays
some exorbitant, yet-to-be- stated “price”.

This isn’t diplomacy. It is blackmail.

And a particularly vicious form of blackmail since, as bizarre as it sounds,
I understand that American officials have yet to communicate to their
Israeli counterparts what they actually want Israel to "pay" to gain
Pollard's release.

This isn’t the behavior of a trusted ally.

It is an embarrassment which undermines the credibility of the US – Israel
special relationship.

it is humiliating for the State of Israel as President Obama appears to show
such contempt for the Jewish State, while the rest of the world looks on.

It is the anti-thesis of all that the United States of America claims to
stand for. President Obama seems to have turned a blind eye to justice, and
to humanitarian compassion, in what appears to be a bid to blackmail an
ally.

It is not too late to rectify the situation. nor is it too late to set the
record straight, and allow justice to finally prevail.

With literally the stroke of a pen, President Obama can put an end to this
travesty of justice and to the apparent blackmail of an ally.

All it will take is stroke of the President’s pen on Pollard’s clemency
papers so that both countries may be reassured that Israel is dealing with
President Obama the statesmen, and not Mr. Obama the blackmailer.

Jonathan Pollard must go free now.

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