Israel Matzav

Report: Pollard willing to be released but Congress opposed

Contrary to a report I cited on Tuesday, the head of a campaign to free Jonathan Pollard says that Pollard would be willing to go free in exchange for 'Palestinian' terrorists.

Aaron Troodler, a spokesman for the campaign to free Pollard, told The Daily Beast Tuesday, "Jonathan Pollard would not reject the commutation of his sentence. The deal that is currently being discussed is by no means a quid pro quo, rather it’s a gesture being made by the United States to Israel. The fact is this is not a tit for tat. It’s part of a larger agreement."

But that is not how other prominent Jewish groups that have supported freeing Pollard, a former civilian intelligence analyst who was sentenced to life in prison for spying on the United States on behalf of Israel, see it.

But some members of Congress are opposed to giving up American's hostage. 

Pollard’s potential release faces stiff opposition on Capitol Hill, where both Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein and ranking Republican Saxby Chambliss told The Daily Beast Tuesday that releasing Pollard at this stage was a bad idea and they would oppose it.

Feinstein said releasing Pollard simply in exchange for a continuation of negotiations was not appropriate, given his crimes and the lack of a real deal between the two parties.

“This was a major betrayal and I’ve followed it over the years. It’s one thing if there’s an agreement. It’s another thing totally if there isn’t,” she said.

In other words, Feinstein admits that Pollard is being held hostage, but the price being offered for him isn't high enough.

And Chambliss?

Chambliss is opposed to releasing Pollard altogether. “I think he’s done a lot of harm to America and I just don’t think he should be released,” the two-term Georgia Republican told The Daily Beast.

At least he's consistent.... Apparently someone forgot to tell Chambliss that Pollard is now a hostage.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what the Senate or the House think of releasing Pollard - now or ever. The President has the exclusive power to pardon anyone - including Pollard. And Pollard's sentence is scheduled to end late in 2015 either way.

Two other Senators came out in favor of releasing Pollard on the merits of the case: Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and John McCain (R-Az). Note especially what McCain says.

Sen. Chuck Schumer told The Daily Beast Tuesday that he supported Pollard's release, based simply on the merits of the case.

“I think he did a very bad thing. He deserved to serve some time in jail. The amount of time he served in jail is disproportionate,” the New York Democrat said.

As for whether Pollard’s release should be linked to the peace process or Israel’s release of Palestinian prisoners, Schumer said, “That I’m not going to get into.”

Sen. John McCain said Tuesday that he supports releaing Pollard on the merits of the case but the administration must not link the release to the ongoing peace process.

"It's disgusting," he said. "I favor his release, I think he's served long enough, but to be used in this fashion, it's disgraceful."

 Yes, it is.

Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Charles Schumer, Dianne Feinstein, John Kerry, John McCain, Jonathan Pollard, Palestinian terrorists

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:15 PM