Unusual unity as right and left, religious and secular join to call for
Jonathan Pollard’s freedom.

By Maayana Miskin First Publish: 6/10/2012, 9:59 AM
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/156704#.T9TGu5iMVac

Israelis from across the political and religious spectrum have signed a
petition calling for Jonathan Pollard to be released from prison.

Bereaved families met last week with President Shimon Peres prior to his
trip to the United States to underscore the importance of his intended
appeal to U.S. President Barack Obama on behalf of Pollard.

Among the 70,000 signatories are many famous figures who until today have
never come together for a single purpose. They include Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi
Yona Metzger and authors A. B. Yehoshua and David Grossman, singer Shlomo
Artzi and former minister Tzipi Livni.

Also signed on are Israeli nobel prize winners Professor Dan Shechtman and
Professor Yisrael Aumann, former Hamas captive Gilad Shalit and his family,
politician Uzi Dayan, Rabbi Yoel Ben-Nun, and legal expert Amnon Rubinstein.

The letter, addressed to President Shimon Peres, states: “Due to deep
concern for Jonathan's welfare, and desire to see him spend the remainder of
his life as a free man, we ask you to use your unprecedented diplomatic
status and your close relationship with President Obama for Jonathan’s
release.”

Pollard activists said a similar letter signed by dozens of mayors was on
its way to Peres. The president is traveling to the United States, where he
is to meet with President Barack Obama and receive the Medal of Freedom – a
meeting Pollard activists hope he will use to push strongly for the ailing
Pollard’s release.

“Today there is a clear consensus in expecting the President to use his
power to ensure that this opportunity to save Jonathan’s life is not lost,”
they said.