Daniel Pipes on Why Now Is Not The Time To Have Jonathan Pollard Pardoned

The following by Daniel Pipes is reposted with permission:

Pollard Pardon? Not Now

by Daniel Pipes
Feb 23, 2014
Cross-posted from National Review Online, The Corner

http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/2014/02/pollard-pardon-not-now

Jonathan Pollard's life sentence for the crimes he committed nearly 30 years ago is, without a doubt, both a travesty of justice and completely disproportionate.

Indeed, I offered Pollard advice and help when he called me from prison in the mid-1990s. For example, I published an original document about his trial in 1997 and evinced new information about him from Caspar Weinberger in a 1999 interview. I have maintained a weblog entry exposing the rank hypocrisy of U.S. leaders who come down so hard on Pollard even as American intelligence services spy no less, and probably much more, on Israel.

I mention these bona fides because I do not want Barack Obama to pardon Pollard.

Arlene Kushner On Assorted News Concerning Israel

From Arlene Kushner:
March 7, 2012

Sharing

Mostly a bit of news and a variety of materials that are worthy of being shared.

Let me begin with a brief update on the little boy I've been tracking -- Zakkai.  He's making good progress in his recovery and is becoming more like himself.  But all is not smooth: he's clingy, which is understandable considering the trauma he's had; wants to be carried on stairs, which he finds difficult to navigate; and still has some discomfort.  Since his balance isn't good and he has other problems connected to the surgery on his spine, he has rehabilitation specialists working with him to help him regain his former mobility.

Please God, a matter of time.  The family prays for a return to normalcy.

~~~~~~~~~~

The Center for Near East Policy Research, which has produced a variety of materials on UNRWA over the years, has just put out a new video on the "Right of Return" as taught in the UNRWA schools. 

See this and understand why UNRWA is part of the problem, and why peace is not possible while the Palestinian Arab kids in its classrooms continue to be taught to kill Jews in order to regain "their" land.  This is stunning documentation -- you get it from the mouths of students, teachers and administrators themselves (with subtitles).  What the kids say is most stunning of all:

Arlene Kushner On Why Obama Won't Stop Iran And Will Fail To Contain It

From Arlene Kushner:

February 19, 2013

Facing Matters Down

Briefly I want to return to the issue of what will happen vis-a-vis Iran when Obama is here -- this time sharing Barry Rubin's sardonic take in "What Obama faces in Israel" (emphasis added):

"...Presumably, the US delegation and Obama will emphasize their optimism about negotiations with Teheran and express wishful thinking that the June election will result in a more moderate government...In other words, they will preach hope and patience.

"In addition, they will stress that all options are being kept open and that the United States will never accept Iran having nuclear weapons...Personally, I don't believe that Obama will ever attack Iranian nuclear facilities or support such an Israeli operation.

Arlene Kushner On Discussing Iran When Obama Visits Israel

From Arlene Kushner:
February 12, 2013

Update

I begin with a report on little Zakkai, who indeed was operated on yesterday.  It's been an incredibly tough haul for his parents, first because Zakkai had developed a cold and cough and there were consultations until the last moment regarding the advisability of doing the surgery. It was decided that going ahead was prudent.  And then, they had to get to Boston, where the hospital is located, and where there were huge amounts of snow.

Zakkai, thank God, came through the surgery well and the surgeons were satisfied. He is in an ICU unit but having considerable pain, for which he is being treated. Terribly hard not just for the child, but for the parents to witness.  ("Unnerving and deflating," is how it was put in an update.) Please God, he will get past these first few days and rally quickly.  He is quite a fighter. 

Please, continue to pray for him -- for his speedy and complete recovery. And I'll provide further updates.

Rephael Zakkai Avraham ben Yakira Avigael

~~~~~~~~~~

Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke last night at a gathering of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish American organizations. Before I share what he said, I want to note an interesting but not surprising phenomenon that I observed; while not uncommon, it was perhaps more blatant than usual:

How Many Jonathan Pollards Does The US Have Spying On Israel?

Last week, the Associated Press came out with an article highlighting the fact that Israelis keeps a close eye on the CIA presence in Israel:

The CIA station chief opened the locked box containing the sensitive equipment he used from his home in Tel Aviv, Israel, to communicate with CIA headquarters in Virginia, only to find that someone had tampered with it. He sent word to his superiors about the break-in.

Arlene Kushner On Shaul Mofaz Leaving Netanyahu's Coalition

From Arlene Kushner

July 17, 2012

The Picture at Present

For the first time in a while, I am reporting on the situation of Noam Jay ben Inbar, the nine-year-old boy with cancer around his heart, whom I've been asking you to pray for -- and for whom I continue to ask you to pray, please!

The situation was horribly grim when I started writing about him. He had been discovered to have an extensive and aggressive cancer growing around his heart, which was said to be inoperable. The doctors considered him terminal and he was put in hospice care.

But when the doctors did an MRI recently they found the cancer had stopped advancing, and they decided he would be a candidate for an experimental treatment. That treatment has just begun and I know next to nothing about it -- it is not chemotherapy. Noam is the first child in Israel to receive this treatment.

It is too soon to see any results from the treatment. But even before it had begun, the boy was showing improvement -- in the sense of increased energy, better morale, some renewal of appetite, etc. With the grace of the Almighty, miracles do happen.

What I ask now, beyond prayers, is financial assistance for this treatment, from anyone who might be inclined to help. We live in a country with socialized medicine, but there is a "basket" of drugs that is included for coverage within the system.

The drug that Noam is receiving is not covered because it is experimental. It's going to cost the family over $5,000 per month (I do not know for how long -- and perhaps even the doctors don't know yet).

If you are interested in helping, please let me know and I'll send details. There are a number of ways to transmit funds. Donations -- I believe tax-deductible -- can be made via check, credit card, bank transfer, etc., including in dollars.

Thank you.

~~~~~~~~~~

This may be a new record for brevity in terms of the length of time that a party has participated in a coalition. Today the Kadima party took a vote and decided, 24 MKs to three (Avi Dichter, Otniel Schneller and Yulia Shamalov-Berkovich), to quit the government.

Hillary's Gall: Pollard Will Stay In Prison Forever--But Israel Should Release Palestinian Terrorists!

Clinton's statements were the harshest, toughest, and most insensitive from
any American official since Vice President Biden said Pollard would be
released over his dead body
Kadima MK Ronit Tirosh

Hillary Clinton's disastrous visit to Israel will be remembered most for her cold statement denying any hope that Jonathan Pollard will be released.

It follows on another statement reflecting Clinton's chutzpah.

Seth Mandel notes that Clinton Unwittingly Makes Case Against Administration’s Mideast Policy, quoting a Haaretz report on Hillary's contradictory claim why Netanyahu should negotiate with Abbas:

Senior House Member: Jonathan Pollard No Longer Threat To US National Security

A consistent reason given for not releasing Jonathan Pollard has been that even 27 years after his arrest--Pollard had information that would still pose a threat to US security interests.

Representative. Robert Andrews, a New Jersey Democrat, says this is simply no longer true--Jonathan Pollard is no longer a threat to US security and should be released:

Yedidya Atlas: Let Jonathan Pollard Go!

Let Jonathan Pollard Go!

By: Yedidya Atlas

It what can only be described as malicious, Marc Goldberg felt the need to vent his spleen against the official Israeli demand to free Jonathan Pollard from his US prison cell. In his Times of Israel article of April 11th, entitled: Pollard’s no Eli Cohen, Mr. Goldberg writes: “It is disgraceful that the crank who lied his way into US Naval intelligence has come to be seen by so many people as a hero. It’s time to wake up and realize that Pollard was not a Zionist hero but a bumbling amateur looking for quick cash.”

Aside from the inaccuracy of his nasty opening sentence, one has to wonder what brought Mr. Goldberg to suddenly write an anti-Pollard diatribe. What master or cause does he believe he serves by dishing up this verbal chametz during this Pesach holiday?

Mr. Goldberg opines that: “The Pollard affair damaged the relationship between Israel and the United States.” Did it really? Clearly not, since before, during and after to the Pollard affair 27 years ago, Israel and the United States have had significant security cooperation on the highest levels – much of which cannot be discussed in public. Nonetheless, Mr. Goldberg continues: “even worse, it has consequences for any US Jews aspiring to a career in the world of intelligence. And from the moment Pollard claimed he had spied for Israel because he was a Jew everyone of the same faith working in intelligence would have become instantly suspect.”

Now we’re getting somewhere. Mr. Goldberg for some reason is unaware of the underlying “let’s get the Jews and Israel” attitude running through certain government agencies in the US and other western countries since before the modern State of Israel was declared. It did not start with Pollard. I suggest he read “The Secret War Against The Jews” by John Loftus and Mark Aarons (St. Martin’s Press, New York, 1994) for a background in the bandied about the selective “dual-loyalties” accusations that well preceded Pollard’s arrest and have continued with the witch hunts against AIPAC staffers just a few years ago.

Video: Biden Favors, Opposes #Pollard Clemency--Whichever Gets Jewish Vote

In the middle of a meeting with 15 rabbis in Boca Raton, Fla., last week, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. took a punch meant for his boss.
Obama Turns to Biden to Reassure Jewish Voters, and Get Them to Contribute, Too, New York Times, September 30, 2011

And now we know how true that is!

At that meeting, Biden boasted that he personally blocked Obama's plan to grant Pollard clemency:

One of the rabbis asked why Jonathan Pollard, the Israeli spy convicted in 1986, was still in prison. Mr. Biden, on a mission to shore up support for President Obama, replied forcefully, according to several people at the meeting.

“President Obama was considering clemency, but I told him, ‘Over my dead body are we going to let him out before his time,’ ” Mr. Biden said. “If it were up to me, he would stay in jail for life.”

Now it turns out that back during the 2008 campaign, while bragging what a good friend he is of Israel, Biden said that though he opposed a pardon--"there is a rationale in my view why Pollard should be granted leniency (1:20):

Biden Sent To Reassure Jews--Says #Pollard Release "Over My Dead Body"

Remember Biden?
I haven't come across Biden's name in months.

And yet here here is Vice President Joe Biden bragging that he is the reason Pollard has not been released:

In the middle of a meeting with 15 rabbis in Boca Raton, Fla., last week, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. took a punch meant for his boss.

One of the rabbis asked why Jonathan Pollard, the Israeli spy convicted in 1986, was still in prison. Mr. Biden, on a mission to shore up support for President Obama, replied forcefully, according to several people at the meeting.

“President Obama was considering clemency, but I told him, ‘Over my dead body are we going to let him out before his time,’ ” Mr. Biden said. “If it were up to me, he would stay in jail for life.”

Yes, The US Spies On Israel Too

"It is no secret that despite intelligence cooperation and an understanding between the two countries that they will not spy on each other, both Israel and the United States have been involved in such actions."

If anything, when it comes to Spy vs. Spy, the US seems to have the upper hand over Israel:

The United States broke an Israeli code and tapped the secure phone line in the Israeli Embassy in Washington without Jerusalem's knowledge.

Video: Former Naval Intelligence Analyst Interviewed On Jonathan Pollard

Interview with Lawrence Korb (if video does not appear, click here):



In an op-ed in the LA Times last week, Korb explains 3 reasons Pollard got such a harsh sentence:

Video: Rafi Eitan, Pollard's Former Handler, On Jonathan Pollard

As Jonathan Pollard nears the completion of his 25th year in prison his former handler and former Israeli Cabinet Minister, Rafi Eitan, reveals for the first time that a secret deal was made with the US at the time of Pollard's arrest and conviction that he would serve no more than 10 years. Eitan states that the US broke a solemn commitment and instead is keeping Pollard in prison forever to serve another unrelated agenda.

Technorati Tag: Rafi Eitan and Jonathan Pollard.

Video: The Jonathan Pollard 9000 Day Rally

The center-piece of this video is a speech by Dr. Hagai
Ben-Artzi, brother-in-law of Prime Minister Netanyahu. Hagai speaks with
passion about Jonathan Pollard and his devotion to the Land and People of
Israel and of his selflessness and principled unwillingness to be freed in
any deal that might put Jewish lives at stake by the release of murderers
and terrorist or the uprooting of Jews from their homes. Ben-Artzi's words
are heart-rending as he calls upon his brother-in-law PM Netanyahu not to
abandon a soldier in the field, to finish the job and bring Pollard home
now!

Worthy of Note: Video includes interesting foootage of the recent 9000-Day
Vigil for Jonathan Pollard that was recently held in a 3 day marathon at
Gesher HaMeitarim in Jerusalem. Recognizable, for the most part, by all the
Pollard 9000-days-in-captivity banners and signs.

Technorati Tag: Jonathan Pollard.

Is A Pollard-Settlement Freeze Swap Still On The Table? If Not--Why Not?

That's the impression you get from an LA Times editorial, which opposes a Pollard-Settlement Freeze swap:

There may be good reasons for granting clemency to Jonathan Pollard, the former Navy intelligence analyst who was sentenced to life in prison in 1987 for providing U.S. military documents to Israel. But Pollard's usefulness as a diplomatic bargaining chip isn't one of them.

Groundswell Of Support For Release Of Jonathan Pollard

The Jerusalem Post is reporting that a number of voices have been raised recently in support of the release of Jonathan Pollard, especially with revelations of deception by the US government.

So, who is calling out for Jonathan Pollard's release?

Rafi Eitan, Pollard's Handler, Speaks Out

Aaron Lerner posts a translation of a short piece on the Reshet Bet website:

The government perpetuates injustice done Pollard

Former Minister Rafi Eitan on "Meeting Point": "Even though the Americans know that Pollard did not help exposing agents, they do not reduce the life sentence imposed on him"

Former Minister Rafi Eitan, who had been Jonathan Pollard's handler, said that the American legal system perpetrated an injustice to Jonathan Pollard and broke a verbal understanding with Israel that he would serve only 10 years in prison.

Korb Letter Refutes Accusations Against Jonathan Pollard And Gives Unique Opportunity To Obtain Pollard's Release--Why Isn't Israel Acting?

A former Assistant Secretary Of Defense who worked under Casper Weinberger and has personal knowledge of the Jonathan Pollard case has written a letter urging Obama to release Pollard.

The letter refutes the claim that this has anything to do with secret information or betrayal.

In response--Israel yawns.

Based on an article in the Jerusalem Post about Netanyahu's failure to put Jonathan Pollard's release on the agenda in his talks with Obama, Aaron Lerner writes about the special implications of the Korb letter, the unique opportunity it provides to gain the release of Jonathan Pollard, and Israel's failure to act.

Let's walk through this painfully shocking revelation - as reinforced by the response of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's office:

Former Assistant Secretary Of Defense To Obama: Release Jonathan Pollard

Lawrence J. Korb is the former Assistant Secretary of Defense (1981-1985) under Ronald Reagan. Last month, he wrote a letter to Obama that Jonathan Pollard should be released.

Here is the text of the letter (hat tip: IMRA).
Below that is a copy of the original letter--from Justice For Jonathan Pollard

September 27, 2010
Dr. Lawrence J. Korb
203 Yoakum Pkwy Apt 908 Alexandria. VA 22304
The Honorable Barack H. Obama President of the United States
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:

As Assistant Secretary of Defense a the time of Jonathan Pollard's arrest I respectfully request that you exercise your power of clemency on behalf of Mr. Pollard who has now been in prison for 25 years.