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Commentary;
The trail of the Pollard affair, whether a trail of misappropriated funds or not, if travelled would apparently, inevitably lead to a massive Israeli government web of lies and deceit perpetrated not only against Jonathan and Esther Pollard, but upon the people it governs and upon the entire Jewish people. From now-Defense Minister Ehud Barak who tasked him, from now-Minister of Pensioner Affairs Rafi Eitan who ran him, to Yitzchak Shamir, Moshe Arens, Shimon Peres and Yitzchak Rabin who all were connected to Pollard’s work on the political and governmental level, they all bear (or bore in Rabin’s case) responsibility for Jonathan Pollard’s incarceration.
The apparent web of lies continued under the government of Arik Sharon and and is maintained under Ehud Olmert’s Prime Ministership. Somewhere in this maze of big names, someone (or someones) have much corruption and worse to hide in the Pollard affair. So in the name of self-protection of one or more of these individuals, the Pollards continue to get the proverbial “stone-wall” whereas a credible source high in the Bush administration has indicated that the president “is ready to free Jonathan… as long as Olmert makes an official request.”
The point is, as has been repeatedly made, that Jonathan Pollard continues to be incarcerated in a US prison due to Israeli government non-action, apparently in order to insure that the light of day not be shone on evidence which would incriminate numerous high-level members of current and previous Israeli governments. This is the very point of the Knesset-ordered probe by State Comptroller Lindenstrauss. MB
Protests Against Probe on Gov’t Role To Free Pollard
Full Text;
The Knesset-ordered probe by State Comptroller and Ombudsman Micha Lindenstrauss on the government’s role or inaction towards freeing Jonathan Pollard has met stiff opposition from Defense Ministry officials. The Knesset State Control Committee ordered the probe to “understand once and for all why an Israeli citizen is still rotting away in a United States prison,” according to committee chairman National Union Knesset Member Zevulun Orlev. Pollard is serving a life sentence in jail for passing classified documents to Israel although the usual punishment for similar offenses is up to four years in prison.
However, senior officials of the Defense Ministry, which is headed by coalition member Ehud Barak (Labor), fear that the investigation will hurt government efforts to free Pollard. His wife Esther Pollard has repeated claimed that the government is not only failing to try to win his release but also often has rejected opportunities to bring about his freedom.
The inquiry is aimed at previous governments as well as the Olmert administration.
Esther Pollard: Bush is Willing to Free Pollard This Week, by Hillel Fendel (Israel National News, 10 April, 2006)
Pollard: Why Government Fear of Lindenstrauss? It’s the Money!
Lindenstrauss; ‘Someone’ in Government Fears Probe
Orlev: PM Behind ‘Ugly Pollard Spin’
TRANSCRIPT: Razi Barkai interview with Esther Pollard on IDF Radio
Pollard’s Wife: Government Doesn’t Want Him Released
TEXT: Jonathan Pollard’s Letter to PM Olmert: Who is Stealing the Money?
Minister Eitan Estimates that Pollard to be Released Soon
Israel Denies Knowledge of Imminent Pollard Release
Channel 2 TV News Feature: Pollard’s Letter to PM Olmert
Officials Outraged by Comptroller’s Inquiry on Pollard Case
State Comptroller to Review Government’s Efforts in Pollard Case
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