Israel Matzav: He filed the request, but don't expect him to give up his medal

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

He filed the request, but don't expect him to give up his medal

Bowing to public pressure, President Shimon Peres filed a request with President Obama for the immediate release of ailing Israeli citizen Jonathan Pollard. The request was quickly denied by the White House. But I hope that none of you will expect Peres to decline his medal of freedom from President Obama as a result. That won't happen unless there are massive demonstrations outside the President's residence - and maybe not even then. Besides, Peres must figure that Pollard may God forbid be dead by June, and then it won't matter, will it? This is from the second link.

The White House announced Monday that the US administration has rejected President Shimon Peres' request to grant convicted spy Jonathan Pollard clemency.

"Our position has not changed in this case," National Security Council Spokesperson Tommy Vietor said.

The Obama Administration "has no intention to release Pollard," he added.

Earlier, Peres sent a personal letter to US President Barack Obama in which he asked him to pardon the convicted spy on humanitarian grounds.

The Justice for Jonathan Pollard association claims that US President Barack Obama did not refuse Peres' request and that no official response has been received as of yet, contrary to the statement by the National Security Council.

The association said that the statement reflects the administration's current position but does not reflect the president's response to Peres' bid. The group stressed that the president is the only person who can give a pardon.

And this is from the third link.

But Peres's office said he had not received an official response from the White House and that Vietor's statement was issued before Obama had made a decision.

...

The heads of the Pollard caucus in the Knesset, MKs Ronit Tirosh (Kadima) and Uri Ariel (National Union), urged Peres to reconsider accepting the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Obama is he rejects his request for Pollard's freedom.

Tirosh said she had been brought to tears by Vietor's statement, because she had hoped that Peres could succeed due to his close ties with Obama.

"The White House's answer is disappointing," Tirosh said. "Pollard is apparently just a political card for them. If I were Peres, I might not take the medal. I can't understand such wickedness."

Ariel said the quick response from the White House's spokesmen indicated that their behavior was "insensitive and borderline cruel." But he said he still had hope that Obama's official response would be positive.

Obama is giving Peres that medal of freedom because he feels that it will help him with the Jewish vote - and more importantly, with Jewish contributors to his reelection campaign. If Peres had any morals and convictions, he would decline that medal unless Obama releases Pollard, thereby forcing Obama to choose between Jews and Israel - on the one hand - and the heirs of the meshumad (destroyer) Caspar Weinberger - Yimach Shmo v'Zichro (may his name and memory be obliterated) - on the other hand.

But as we have known in this country since the 1950's that Shimon Peres has no morals and no convictions other than the greater glory of Shimon Peres.

I hope to see all of you outside the President's residence. Enough is enough.

Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Jonathan Pollard, Medal of Freedom, Shimon Peres