Supporters of Jonathan Pollard are tensely awaiting the meeting of Presidents Shimon Peres and Barack Obama today – 6:45 PM Israel time, 11:45 AM in Washington.
Pollard's name is expected to come up in a more focused manner than has generally been the case in past high-level Israeli-American meetings. This, in light of the rapidly growing list of American public figures who have called on Obama to right the wrong of Pollard's ongoing incarceration, because of Pollard's ill health, and because of the upcoming Jewish holiday of freedom, Passover.
Pollard is now in the 26th year of life imprisonment, to which he was sentenced after being convicted on one count of passing classified information to a U.S. ally – namely, Israel.
"Jonathan Pollard has now paid a huge price for his espionage on behalf of Israel," former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz wrote recently, "and should be released from prison."
A similar letter signed by 39 U.S. Congressmen states clearly, "There has been a great disparity from the standpoint of justice between the amount of time Mr. Pollard has served, and the time that has been served – or not served at all – by many others who were found guilty of similar activity on behalf of nations adversarial to us, unlike Israel."
Pollard supporters now say that in light of the growing wave of support for Pollard, "we have no doubt that a genuine and true request by President Peres today will be the push that will save Jonathan's life."
Pollard's wife Esther, who held an emotional meeting with Peres just before his departure to Washington on Sunday, is spending today in prayer for her husband's release.
She calls upon all those who are concerned for his fate to pray, wherever they may be, during at least part of the scheduled presidential meeting, beginning at 6:45 PM this evening (Israel time). "Please dedicate at least part of this time to prayer, hope and thinking about Yehonatan ben [son of] Malka," Mrs. Pollard called. "I am full of hope that President Peres will not miss this opportunity and will appeal to President Obama's heart in order to end this terrible tragedy."
For more information, click here <http://www.facebook.com/justice4jp>.
