Convicted spy Jonathan Pollard was released from prison early Friday, culminating an extraordinary espionage case that was a sore spot in American-Israeli relations for 30 years.
Now that he’s been released, some Pollard supporters want him to flee for Israel right away.
Pollard’s release from a federal prison in Butner, North Carolina came nearly 30 years to the day after his arrest for providing large amounts of classified U.S. government information to Israel.
“The people of Israel welcome the release of Jonathan A. Pollard,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. “As someone who raised Jonathan’s case for years with successive American presidents, I had long hoped this day would come,” he said.
“I have waited for this day for 30 long years, unbelievable,” Anne, his ex-wife told Army Radio. “It’s an amazing moment.” Army Radio is a radio station in Israel.
Pollard had been granted parole this summer from a life sentence imposed in 1987. The terms of his parole require him to remain in the United States for at least five years, though supporters — including Netanyahu and some members of Congress — are seeking for him to move to Israel immediately.
His release caps one of the most high-profile spy sagas in modern American history, a case that over the years sharply divided public opinion and became a diplomatic sticking point. Critics, including government officials, derided him as a traitor who sold out his country, while supporters have long maintained that he was punished excessively for his actions.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that the crime merited a life sentence, given the amount of damage that Mr. Pollard did to the United States government,” said Joseph diGenova, who prosecuted the case as U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C. “I would have been perfectly pleased if he had spent the rest of his life in jail.”
Pollard, a former Navy intelligence analyst, was arrested on Nov. 21, 1985, after trying unsuccessfully to gain asylum at the Israeli Embassy in Washington. He had earlier drawn the suspicion of a supervisor for handling large amounts of classified materials unrelated to his official duties.
U.S. officials have said Pollard, over a series of months and for a salary, provided intelligence summaries and huge quantities of classified documents to Israel. He pleaded guilty in 1986 to conspiracy to commit espionage and was given a life sentence a year later.
Though he has said his guilty plea was coerced, he has also expressed regret.
“There is nothing good that came as a result of my actions,” he said. “I tried to serve two countries at the same time. That does not work.”
Under sentencing rules in place at the time of his crime, he became presumptively eligible for parole in November — 30 years after his arrest. The Justice Department agreed not to oppose parole at a July hearing that took into account his behavior in prison and likelihood to commit future crimes.
Israel, which after initially claiming that he was part of a rogue operation, acknowledged Pollard in the 1990s as one of their spies and granted him citizenship.
Pollard’s lawyers also have sought permission for him to travel immediately to Israel, and two Democratic members of Congress — Eliot Engel and Jerrold Nadler, both of New York — have called on the Justice Department to grant the request so that Pollard can live with his family and “resume his life there.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article
I support Israel. However honoring a convicted traitor and getting special treatment is wrong. Despite what they claim, the U.S. taxpayer keeps Israel solvent. As in the USS Liberty incident 48 years back, I have to ask why would Israel spy on it’s biggest supporter?
Because they were unjustly withholding information they had previously agreed to share w Israel. As usual, it comes down to ant-Semitic double crossing of Israel that they had to resort to such tactics. It was the American disgrace of continual betrayal of Israel that caused them to resort to spying.
Sorry, I don’t but that. Without U.S. support, Israel wouldn’t prosper. In 1973, Nixon took U.S. equipment out of W. Germany to help Israel win the October 1973 war. The U.S. continually helps support Israel. Our current administration has abandoned America’s role as the big leader. However, honoring a slimy spy is not a good thing. Israel isn’t correct on this one. Crying anti- Semitism on this one, is as empty as the Black Lives Matter folks crying racism when a criminal is caught by the police.
Who gives a rat’s behind what you support.
Everybody’s opinion is important . Even yours!
That’s exactly how Israel feels about our support. I wonder how they would have fared if the U.S. had never given them all that money (tens of billions) & military hardware? How many false flags & killings would have occurred in the name of Talmudism? Remember, they believe they only are the “chosen”. Not according to Jesus Christ & only if they met his criteria. Want to irritate a rabbi? Ask him about that.
Stupid, not patriotic.
And a I American, which trumps antisemetic, which is a foolish word used for foolish defense.
Jonathan Pollard , the AMERICAN DREYFUS, was falsely imprisoned with cruelty & prejudice, by warning ISRAEL about American BETRAYAL to Israel’s enemies. He warned them about the things withheld from Israel by ANTI-SEMITES who also betrayed his PLEA BARGAIN agreement. Several RUSSIAN SPIES were released after much shorter times served when they were proven guilty of more mes than Pollard, who was simply warning Israel and not endangering our allies. The double-standards here are apalling
“Jonathan Pollard , the AMERICAN DREYFUS, was falsely imprisoned with cruelty & prejudice, by warning ISRAEL about American BETRAYAL to Israel’s enemies.”
I gather he was giving Israel US naval intelligence over a period of time for which he was paid money – sounds very much like spying to me and not from any sense of patriotism but for filthy lucre.
What is a kamoun? Is it muz speak?
This rogue USA government is full of lying scumbags like, you guessed it, all of congress and the potus pig.
“This rogue USA government is full of lying scumbags like, you guessed it, all of congress and the potus pig”
That shows scant gratitude to a nation that has protected and subsidised Israel since it’s inception.
What mass media never told you is, Israel has the practice of selling our defense information to our enemies, like Red China and the Soviet Union. Now Russia has gotten the apparatchiks and oligarchs out, Israel has a hate program against Russia, and is having America try to start a war with them. Defense analysts thing the USS Scorpion was sunk because of Pollard’s espionage. He compromised our Naval communications procedures, among other secrets, enabling the reds to locate that American nuclear submarine.
Wake up Americans !!! Israel is no friend of the American taxpayer… Anyone who believes that Israel is an ally is completely caught up in the propaganda…Israel controls the American government and the Federal Reserve… We pay their military to murder Palestinians and burn down there homes… Do you think this thing with this scum of Pollard is any coincidence ? no way folks… ” when Israel talks the U.S Government acts.” … Americans need to open their eyes… Israel in no friend of America and no ally by any means…Pollard will leave to go to israhell so he can be rewarded and protected by mosad…
You are on the shortlist of useful idiots or useless eaters.
You are huge anti-Sematic idiot! It’s USA who constantly dictates their liberal rules to Israel what to do and how to behave. You should know that at least 60% of Israeli new defense innovations are shared with this country. If USA lets Israel to solve the terrorist problems, we would not have what it’s happening right now. FYI Israel is the only really trustful friend and ally in Middle East. Because of such individual Israel-haters like you, we might have your Palestinian brothers killing Americans too as they covertly are stabbing Israelis and even killed 18 years old American boy.
Idiots like you are the ones your demented Moslem friends will kill at the first opportunity our URURPER, LIAR-IN-CHIEF, Marxist, Moslem mulato, traitor in our RED HOUSE wants to bring here without any checks on their sanity or willingness to assimilate into America.
ISLAM IS A MENTAL DISEASE INVENTED BY A PERVERTED CHILD- MOLESTING MURDERER who has deceived 1/4 of the worlds population. Abe Lincoln was right that you can deceive some of the people ALL the time, etc, but those who have DISCERNMENT & GODLY WISDOM know the TRUTH that will set morons like you FREE. Yeshua is the ONE TRUE GOD of this world, whether you like it or not. The KORAN is a bunch of jibberish crap invented by a FALSE PROPHET of DOOM.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, this is what America is about, but can you explain the disparity why Pollard was in jail for 30 years while every other spy is in prison for under 10 years?
Any American citizen, who spies on America for Israel is an infidel, and does not deserve the American citizenship. By Israel rejoicing in an American spying for them, shows that Israel is not a friend of America, but it’s first enemy. Obama is not respecting America, or himself by appeasing the notorious Netanyahu. Netanyahu in the eye of the world is a war criminal per Exelance.
Your argument is specious, at best, and ignorant to boot.
Aah. The Hasbara are here too. Can’t allow objective discussion. Might wake up the sheeple.
Your argument is specious, at best, and ignorant to boot. It needs to be reiterated for those who choose to try to ignore the truth.
Shouldn’t you explain what this truth you put so much stock in is?
What do you know about USS Liberty? It was sent there to spy on Israel communications and transfer collected info to Arabs, the best evidence of double-faced US policy toward Israel. And it was US government, not Israel, who paid families of those who were killed there. As to Catman, he just need to have his head examined.
Mimobr, I’ve never heard anyone claim that the Liberty’s mission was to spy on Israel and pass information to the Arabs. In fact, as a “listening” ship, I find it telling that there were both Arabic and Russian translators aboard. At the time of the incident, there were large troop movements in Egypt, which had Russian advisers on the ground as well. I’d be interested to know the source of your information.
Who are you fooling? If the spy was of any other ethnicity you’d be protesting his release. I support Israel. However, Israel is kept relevant thanks to the American taxpayer. I don’t mind that. However, I do mind xenophobic types making excuses for a common coward spy.
The comments here exhibit a lot of assumption and very little if any actual facts about Pollard’s case. You can continue to bicker and point fingers and cry foul, or you can read the facts for yourself at http://www.jonathanpollard.org/facts.htm. In short, he was convicted for following a law requiring that certain information be shared with Israel but that was being withheld.
Mimobr, I’ve never heard anyone claim that the Liberty’s mission was to spy on Israel and pass information to the Arabs. In fact, as a “listening” ship, I find it telling that there were both Arabic and Russian translators aboard. At the time of the incident, there were large troop movements in Egypt, which had Russian advisers on the ground as well. I’d be interested to know the source of your information.
Israel, as small a country it is, happens to be the sixth richest in the world. I fully agree, the U.S. should stop giving aid to Israel, as they are very capable to handle themselves very well and America will no longer treat it like the unofficial 51st state, the time has come for the U.S. to stop meddling in Isreali affairs.
Amen! The sooner, the better.
Difficult to tell now, it was posted on a site years ago by one of the participants.
Once again we see a demonstration of why I don’t like life sentences. We are always told that we don’t need the death penalty because we can give someone life without parole. Here we have a man who was given a life sentence and will soon head to retirement in Israel as a hero.
I’ve always had a gut feeling this man was unjustly convicted. Perhaps I’m wrong but his release gives me a good feeling.