MKs Nachman Shai and Ayelet Shaked, who head the caucus to free Jonathan Pollard on Wednesday morning erev Rosh Chodesh Shevat 5774, presented President Shimon Peres with the petition signed by 106 MKs from the coalition and opposition, Jews and Arabs, calling for the release of Jonathan Pollard from prison in the United States of America. The MKs presented the petition to President Peres so that he can pass it on to US President Barack Obama and request that he free Jonathan Pollard.

At the beginning of the meeting, MK Shai said, “I am honored to present to you this request to the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, which is based upon an agreement by 106 MKs including 18 members of the government. The letter is intended for President Obama and I hope you will present it to him and stand at the head of the efforts to release Jonathan Pollard. Our request is simple and important – release Jonathan Pollard. The Knesset caucus is led by Ayelet Shaked and myself together with the public campaign and countless voices among the wider public.” Ayelet Shaked added, “The release of Jonathan Pollard, is a national matter, all the Knesset members including the Arab ones agree, it is the only issue on which we have consensus.”

President Peres received the letter from the MKs and said, “”It is both a right and a duty for me to bring before the President of the United States of America the request to free Jonathan Pollard which comes with agreement from across the political spectrum. As president it is my clear responsibility to voice such clear consensus, I do it with pride and see it as a duty and responsibility. I raised the request to release Jonathan Pollard on a number of occasions with the President Obama and previous American presidents but I don’t remember such consensus on any issue either humanitarian or political between political parties. I will pass this petition on to President Obama.”

The Campaign Coordinator of the campaign to free Jonathan Pollard, Efi Lahav said, “As someone who visited Jonathan Pollard in prison in the United States, I can say that his health is in a bad way, time is ticking and it might even be too late. I thank you for everything you have done and are still doing and the MKs and the people of Israel for their support.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)