Pollards happy Schalit is free

Gil Hoffman - The Jerusalem Post - October 18, 2011

Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard's wife Esther expressed hope on Tuesday that following the release of captive soldier Gilad Schalit, the focus of Israelis would now shift to releasing her husband.

Pro-Pollard Facebook groups have asked Israelis who had Schalit as their profile picture to use a photograph of Pollard, who has been in jail for 9463 days.

"Jonathan and I are delighted that the painful chapter of Gilead Schalit's captivity has been resolved and he has been returned to his family," Esther Pollard said. "We expect that the same determination, effort, infrastructure and focus that Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Peres and the Israeli public devoted to Gilad's return will be redirected at once to the rescue of Jonathan Pollard. Jonathan begins his 27th year of captivity next month, if he survives that long. It is incumbent on the government to devote the same passionate effort and appeal to save Jonathan's life as it did for Gilad."

Esther Pollard said that she and her husband were deeply dismayed that the meeting US Vice President Joe Biden promised the American Jewish leadership to discuss her husband's fate has not been set. She said it was important that a date be set ahead of the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America on November 6, in which both US President Barack Obama and Netanyahu are scheduled to speak.

"No doubt, the Prime Minister can expedite this meeting by lending his strong encouragement to the Jewish leadership to get on with it," she said.

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