Israel Matzav

Why parole for Pollard isn't enough

In an editorial that follows up on Jonathan Pollard's scathing op-ed from Friday's editions, the Jerusalem Post explains why the Obama administration's stock answer to demands to free Pollard - 'let him apply for parole in 2015' - isn't an answer.

Suggesting parole as a solution to this travesty of justice is as disingenuous as it is unjust.

Parole – even if the US government decides not to fight it in 2015, which is unlikely – would leave the balance of Pollard’s 45-year life sentence intact, and would not set him free.

On the contrary, parole would mean that for another 15 years (the balance of his sentence) the US would severely restrict his freedom of movement, travel, speech, employment and even domicile. He certainly would not be free to come home to Israel, the country to which he has devoted his life.

Any solution that does not free Pollard immediately, without restrictions, and allow him to come home to Israel only compounds the injustice and is a severe affront to Israel.

The only legal remedy that can address the unjust life sentence Pollard is serving is presidential commutation, the exclusive privilege of the president of the United States. Only the president, not the parole board, can commute a sentence to time-served.

I realize now that I should not have been so naive. I assumed that if Pollard were paroled, he could at least be on the next plane to Israel. Apparently, he cannot. That's why efforts to free him now must be redoubled.

Labels: Jonathan Pollard

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:16 PM