Pollards Respond To Attacks' From Their Critics

January 2, 1997 - Ben Rose - The Canadian Jewish News

Jonathan Pollard has denied a Toronto Star story that both questioned the legitimacy of his marriage and blamed his Toronto-based wife, Esther, for an estrangement between him and his family.

In a statement given to his wife, which he delivered to The CJN, Pollard declared: "It is untrue that Jewish marriages are registered by a civil authority in Granville, N.C. The rabbi who married us did not need authorization from any civil authority, nor was he obliged to register the marriage with any civil authority."

Esther Pollard said the Star story is not aimed at her, but at Pollard himself and is a continuing effort by some of the media to deflect attention from the severity of the life sentence meted out to her husband for handing over secret documents to Israel while in the employ of the United States navy.

The attacks on her and her husband have intensified since Pollard applied for Israeli citizenship, she said.

"I know that prison officials were contacted by Ha'aretz [an Israeli daily] and the Toronto Star, and in both cases, they refused to be interviewed and made none of the statements attributed to them," Pollard said in his statement.

"Can you tell me how it is supposed to further my case when my own sister insists that I am unbalanced and have lost with reality, and that I am unrepentant and unremorseful. Is it any wonder that I have asked her to remove herself from the case?"

Esther Pollard also released an updated version of an earlier statement by her husband responding to attacks on their marriage.

It read: "Over the past six years, my wife, Esther, has been subjected to a well-coordinated and unrelenting stream of abuse.

It is critical for people to understand though, she is not the intended target of this article, I am.

"I am shocked and deeply saddened by the fact that this attack has been largely directed by members of my own family, certain so-called "friends", and the Public Committee for Pollard in Israel.

The vilification of my wife has now escalated to the point where I can no longer remain silent. To remove any lingering doubt on this score, I wish to make it very clear that, as far as I am concerned, Esther speaks for me on all matters pertaining to my case. I also fully intend to defend myself from any attacks directed at me through her, regardless as to their origins.