U.S. congressmen to Obama: Free Pollard to facilitate Mideast peace

[azurnoir]

Source: haaretz

U.S. congressmen to Obama: Free Pollard to facilitate Mideast peace

Several United States congressmen have signed a petition calling on U.S. President Barack Obama to pardon Jonathan Pollard, jailed in the U.S. for over 25 years for spying, in order to advance the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported on Thursday.

Pollard, a former civilian intelligence analyst, was sentenced to life in prison in 1987 on charges of spying on the U.S. for Israel.

A statement released by Democratic Representative Barney Frank "notes the positive impact that a grant of clemency would have in Israel, as a strong indication of the goodwill of our nation towards Israel and the Israeli people."

"This would be particularly helpful at a time when the Israeli nation faces difficult decisions in its long-standing effort to secure peace with its neighbors," Frank's office continued in the statement.

Direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians will face the first major hurdle in the next few days as Israel's moratorium on construction in West Bank settlements is set to expire. Reports have circulated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking Pollard's release in order to pacify the settler movement if he extends the moratorium.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/u-s-congressmen-to-obama-free-pollard-to-facilitate-mideast-peace-1.315499

A letter circulating among other members of the U.S. House of Representatives and initiated by Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) and Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) "notes the positive impact that a grant of clemency would have in Israel, as a strong indication of the goodwill of our nation towards Israel and the Israeli people," said a statement issued Thursday by Frank's office. "This would be particularly helpful at a time when the Israeli nation faces difficult decisions in its long-standing effort to secure peace with its neighbors."

http://www.jta.org/news/article/2010/09/23/2741029/four-dems-urge-pollard-clemency

Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/u-s-congressmen-to-obama-free-pollard-to-facilitate-mideast-peace-1.315499

[ixion]

1. So they're all worked up about freeing this guy who really committed a crime, and yet

have no concern for the hundreds of people who have been charged with nothing in GITMO.

Gotta love that double standard.

[bemildred]

2. So Israel is the stumbling block?

We must placate the Israeli right to get a peace deal?

[EJSTES2005]

3. Yeah, this must be some kind of sick joke

sure they will stop building and start singing kumbayfuckingya until his airplane lands in Israel. Then its back to business as usual.

[Historic NY]

4. It would be easier if we just stopped sending over our $$$ to both sides.

[TomClash]

5. No. Not Happening. Never. Ever.

Pollard's treason was incredible - he gave up a good slice of the NSA's SIGINT to Israel. The ramifications of his treason were incredible and eventually became deadly to many innocent people. He is lucky to be alive.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Free Pollard after each and every settlement on the West Bank and East Jerusalem

have been relinquished and residents moved out.

[Kolesar]

7. "Jonathan Pollard" "cocaine habit"

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Jonathan+Pollard%22+%22cocaine+habit%22&hl=en&sa=2

[atreides1]

8. Former Soldier to U.S. Congressen

Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) and Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.)"GO FUCK YOURSELVES"!!!

The man is a traitor, he was being paid for the information, he wasn't doing it for his love of Israel.

And there is no guarantee that Israel would even honor such an agreement.

[krkaufman]

9. wtf would the release of Pollard have to do with the peace talks?

Did the petition also call for the release of one or more Palestinians?

I think the billions we send them in aid should be sufficient to communicate our goodwill.

[customerserviceguy]

10. He's almost certainly a bargaining chip

that the last several Presidents have held in their pockets as the ultimate deal-closer. I don't expect him to be released unconditionally, but if sending him to Israel would cut a Gordian knot, then I would expect this to happen.

While I agree with other posters above that he's lucky to be alive, it seems that the only reason he was kept alive was for just this purpose. It would have been very easy to execute him for treason in a military trial.

[madrchsod]

11. he was born in the usa and the son of a bitch is a traitor....

he`d be released in israel.

[Ter]

12. I hope Pollard spends the rest of his life in jail

Who knows what secrets this traitor has.

[Freddie Stubbs]

13. Let him rot