Israeli Spy Jonathan Pollard Enters 29th Year in U.S. Prison

Convicted American spy for Israel Jonathan Pollard entered the 29th year of a life sentence in U.S. prison.

• Barbara Opall-Rome / Jonathan Pollard Is No Prisoner of Zion
• Knesset Devotes Special Session to Pollard
• CIA: Pollard Dug for Dirt on Israeli Pols
• Iran Crisis Test of U.S. Jewish Loyalty
• PM: Israel Adamant on Pollard Release
• Pollard Due to Be Freed in 2 Years

Thursday marked the 28th anniversary of Jonathan Pollard’s arrest outside of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Pollard’s wife, Esther, on Wednesday called on U.S. President Barack Obama to commute her husband’s sentence to time served and release him from prison.

Earlier this week, Esther Pollard chastised President Shimon Peres for saying that Obama has responded favorably to all Israeli requests. Last year, Peres formally asked Obama to commute Pollard’s sentence.

Pollard, a civilian U.S. Navy intelligence analyst who spied for Israel, was sentenced to life in prison in 1987, despite a plea bargain in which he admitted his guilt. Several Israeli leaders and an increasing number of U.S. political figures from both parties have made requests that the United States pardon Pollard.

Obama has insisted that Pollard receive a fair hearing by a parole committee review set to take place in 2015.