Peres: I will devote the rest of my term to release of Pollard
Itamar Eichner and Yuval Karni - Yediot Ahronot 27 December 2013
[IMRA translation]

President Shimon Peres has decided to use few months left to his position
for one goal: the release of the Israeli-American spy Jonathan Pollard.

Peres, who is expected to leave the presidential office this coming July,
committed yesterday to increase the pressure on US President Barak Obama, in
order to convince him to release the spy imprisoned already for close to 29
years. In closed conversations Peres said that just as in Israel it is
customary to reduce sentences, it is inconceivable that Pollard, even if he
did terrible things, should not get clemency.

The president also responded to a request from the Knesset and agreed to
give US President Obama a letter signed by 106 MKs - with the request to
free Pollard. In the letter the Members of Knesset note that senior
officials in previous US administrations have already maintained in the past
that it is possible to free Pollard. "Pollard committed serious crimes,
that he and the State of Israel have apologized for," it is written in the
letter, "along with this, the great amount of time that has passed since
then requires today the release of Pollard. This gesture is required for
Israeli-USA relations at this time."

As the same time, MKs Ayelet Shaked (Bayit Yehudi) and Nachman Shai (Labor),
who head the Knesset Lobby for the Release of Pollard, met yesterday with
the USA Ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, and presented to his the letter
of 106 MKs.