Potentially Good News : Netanyoohoo will ask Obama for Pollard Pardon

[muman613]

I don't know if this will result in his release but the news that Bibi will ask Obama to release Pollard is good news. I hope that Bibi will not offer another freeze because I am not sure that a freeze is in the best interest of Israel...


http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/141264

Netanyahu Decides to Ask Obama to Free Pollard
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

Israel will formally and publicly ask U.S. President Barack Obama to free Jonathan Pollard, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced Tuesday. 

The appeal will represent a major step to rescue Pollard from a life term in prison for passing to Israel classified documents when he worked for the Pentagon. The usual punishment for the offense is up to four years in jail.

Prime Minister Netanyahu acted after appeals by Pollard’s wife Esther and a string of events and reports the past few weeks that have weakened the American case for imposing a life sentence on Pollard. The Prime Minister’s office stated that the decision to appeal to President Obama “was made following a series of talks and contacts…in recent months with senior U.S. administration officials.”

One of those leading the free-Pollard movement is former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense Lawrence Korb, who revealed that he has spoken with President Obama and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at least six times. He recently has said that Pollard was not dealt with fairly.

Israeli governments have said they have made quiet efforts to free Pollard, and Prime Minister Netanyahu warned them that his appeal to President Obama may not succeed, if not backfire.  Esther Pollard, citing her husband’s deteriorating health, said that “this might be my last chance to beg you to change your tactics. There is a greater risk in doing nothing.”

American sentiment never has been strongly behind Pollard, who is widely regarded as a spy although he was not convicted of passing on classified information and not for spying on the United States. In contrast, in Israel and in many Zionist communities in the Diaspora, Pollard’s name is cited as a captive and his name is mentioned in prayers for the return of missing Israel soldiers.

During Prime Minister Netanyahu’s previous term in office, he recognized Pollard as an Israeli agent and granted him Israeli citizenship.

"I intend to continue acting with determination for Pollard's release, both because of the State of Israel's moral obligation to him and also so that he might live with his family and be restoredf to health after his prolonged incarceration,” Prime Minister Netanyahu said Tuesday.

(IsraelNationalNews.com)

[Secularbeliever]

If it were the other way around, Obama asking Bibi, Jonathan would be on the next flight to Tel Aviv.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

We can only hope this will lead to his release.    This may be an obama last-ditch effort to reach out to the Jewish voters he betrayed.   As long as Pollard gets released, we can deal with the aftermath later.

[Secularbeliever]

We can only hope this will lead to his release.    This may be an obama last-ditch effort to reach out to the Jewish voters he betrayed.   As long as Pollard gets released, we can deal with the aftermath later.

In all honesty he did not betray us, he never pretended to be a friend of Israel.  Liberal Jews were just stupid enough to vote for him because they are uncaring or hostile to Israel.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

We can only hope this will lead to his release.    This may be an obama last-ditch effort to reach out to the Jewish voters he betrayed.   As long as Pollard gets released, we can deal with the aftermath later.

In all honesty he did not betray us, he never pretended to be a friend of Israel.  Liberal Jews were just stupid enough to vote for him because they are uncaring or hostile to Israel.

I meant the Jewish voters who voted for him.  80% did.

I certainly did NOT vote for him!

And you are wrong because he did pretend to be a friend of Israel.  He did so in front of AIPAC and large gatherings of Jews during the campaign.

[Rubystars]

I hope that Bibi will not offer another freeze because I am not sure that a freeze is in the best interest of Israel...

It's definitely not in the best interest of Israel.

I don't think that you should get your hopes up about Pollard, it's just political posturing.

[Zionist Revolutionary]

As much as I'd love for Jonathan Pollard's release, I don't see it happening. Bibi always takes positions that look right-wing to fool his voters. In the end, there isn't a difference between him and Sharon.

[nopeaceforland]

Obama WON'T release Mr. Pollard! If he does, that fried chicken eating piece of drek is going to want something in return ie East Jerusalem....

[Aces High]

I pray Jonathan gets out this time!

[WestCoastJTF]

As much as I'd love for Jonathan Pollard's release, I don't see it happening. Bibi always takes positions that look right-wing to fool his voters. In the end, there isn't a difference between him and Sharon.

I think you're right.  There's no political cost to Bibi asking for Pollard's release - he gets free points from the fake right.  Obama says no and Bibi says "oh well, I tried!" 

Sorry, not impressed.  Send the Mossad over to break him out of prison and I'll be impressed.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

As much as I'd love for Jonathan Pollard's release, I don't see it happening. Bibi always takes positions that look right-wing to fool his voters. In the end, there isn't a difference between him and Sharon.

I think you're right.  There's no political cost to Bibi asking for Pollard's release - he gets free points from the fake right.  Obama says no and Bibi says "oh well, I tried!"  

Sorry, not impressed.  Send the Mossad over to break him out of prison and I'll be impressed.

I don't want to be impressed, I just want Pollard to get freedom.   Even if Obama "says no" and it just blows over it's still an important step that a better leader will need to build off of, and he'll have a better starting point than if no PM ever requested formally.  

I don't care about bibi, I hope his career ends soon.

[TheViper]

Is he in an American or Israeli prison?

[muman613]

Is he in an American or Israeli prison?

Pollard is held in an American prison at this time..

[Ari Ben-Canaan]

Pollard should be given to Israel as a show of good faith on the part of the Americans.  Netanyahu should not even need to ask.  Obviously we live light years from an ideal world, or a world which even makes sense.  A Pollard release would be great, as long as it does not cost Israel [in the same way that a Gilad Shalit release would be great, unless it meant 1,000 Muslim Nazis were released from Israeli jail]. -- Israel needs to act from a position of strength in all things that it does; it controls the 'territories' and holds all the cards [a true Jewish govt, one that is not insane and obsessed with self destruction, would send Fatah/Hamas packing to Tunis].

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

The only think Lewinsky will ask Obama for is a bottle of industrial-strength stain remover for his suit.