Conference of Presidents Leaders Back Peres' Request for Pollard's Release

Richard B. Stone Chairman

Contact: Malcolm Hoenlein, 212-318-6111

Malcolm Hoenlein
Executive Vice Chairman/CEO

CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS LEADERS BACK
PERES’ REQUEST FOR POLLARD’S RELEASE

EXPRESS INCREASING CONCERN REGARDING HIS HEALTH

April 11, 2012, New York…Richard Stone, Chairman, and Malcolm Hoenlein,
Executive Vice Chairman, of the Conference of Presidents of Major American
Jewish Organizations, upon hearing of Jonathan Pollard’s worsening medical
condition, reached out to President Barack Obama with a renewed request to
commute Pollard’s sentence.

The letter to the President read, in part, “A few months ago we visited
Jonathan Pollard in prison and came away concerned about his health and the
medical challenges he faced. The news of his hospitalization has augmented
those concerns. We join President Shimon Peres and scores of American
intellectual, religious, political, and civic leaders in appealing for his
prompt release. Given his clear expressions of remorse and pledges
regarding his activities upon release, we believe the commutation of his
unprecedentedly long sentence to the 27 years he has already served is
warranted.”

The letter from Stone and Hoenlein, which comes on the heels of President
Shimon Peres’ personal request to President Obama for Pollard’s release,
continues, “President Peres is a cautious and judicious person and his
letter comes only after much deliberation. We appreciate your kind
consideration of his request which we strongly support.”

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The Conference of Presidents is the central coordinating body representing
51 national Jewish organizations on issues of national and international
concern