Arik Sharon Calls on Jewish Leaders to Speak Out for Pollard

Excerpted from "Come First of all as a Jew" - Naomi Klass Mauer
Friday, October 8, 1999 - The Jewish Press

"I come first of all as a Jew to his fellow Jews." With those words, General Ariel Sharon, head of the Israeli opposition Likud party, opened his address to the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations...

"That is what has to define us," he said. "We are Jews and I am very proud to be a Jew. We all share responsibility for what will happen to Israel. Don't ever think," he added, "that if something happens to us, you will be able to go on as you do."...

Regarding Pollard, he again mentioned the Wye agreement and stated that it was only because they had gotten an initial promise about Pollard that they agreed to the release of Palestinian prisoners. Unfortunately, President Cliinton went back on that promise.

However, Sharon truly believes that there is not enough of a hue and cry among Jews in both countries about Pollard and also about Israeli MIA's. As he put it, Israel is about to release 150 terrorists this week, among them murderers of Jews, and there is not one word about our Israeli soldiers missing for so long. No one is forcing the issue. There is a time to speak out and clearly Ariel Sharon feels that

this is the time for American Jewry to stand united against any American pressure on Israel

.

It is also the time to urge politicians and men and women of honor to speak out on behalf of Israeli MIA's and on behalf of Jonathan Pollard.