U.S. preparing to release convicted Israeli spy Pollard

In a 1999 “New Yorker” story, journalist Seymour Hersh reported that American officials believe Israeli intelligence agents took some of the information obtained through Pollard and sent it to the Soviet Union in order to secure the continued release of Jews from the country.

ABIR SULTAN/EPA A 2013 photo shows Israeli protesters holding placards reading “Free Pollard” and portraits of Jonathan Pollard as some 1,000 people demonstrate outside the President’s residence calling for his release. He was arrested in 1985. He pleaded guilty in May 1986.

His supporters also say he should be released because of his poor health, with his attorney saying he suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure.

Boteach said that Pollard had paid his debts and that it is “highly inhuman and unjust to hold him for this ridiculously long time”.

Jonathan Pollard is pictured, six years after his 1985 arrest.

The president said at the time that while he recognized the emotions involved in the situation, he had a responsibility to uphold the law. “There are a lot of individuals in prisons in the United States who have committed crimes who would love to be released early as well, and I’ve got to make sure that every individual is treated fairly and equally”. His life sentence has been a continuing source of tension between the two counties. The current Inmate Locator of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons continues to list November 21st as Pollard’s release date, 30 years to the day since his release.

BREAKING: The Obama administration is preparing to release a South Bend native serving a life sentence for espionage, …