The US Parole Commission announced Tuesday that Jonathan Pollard, a US Navy intelligence analyst who plead guilty to passing classified intelligence to Israel in 1987, will be released from prison on 20 November after serving 30 years of a life sentence. “I am looking forward to being reunited with my beloved wife Esther,” Pollard said through his attorneys. “I would like to thank the many thousands of well-wishers in the United States, in Israel, and throughout the world, who provided grass roots support by attending rallies, sending letters, making phone calls to elected officials, and saying prayers for my welfare. I am deeply appreciative of every gesture, large or small.” Pollard’s lawyers, as well as senior US government officials, have denied speculation that the release, which has been a perennial issue in US-Israel relations since the mid-1990s, is related to recent developments regarding Iran. Read More
