Jonathan Pollard, an American imprisoned in the United States in 1985 for spying on behalf of the Hebrew state, landed Wednesday, December 30 in Israel, where he was greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The now 66-year-old former US Navy analyst has served 30 years in prison for delivering classified US documents.
He was released in November 2015 with the obligation to wear an electronic bracelet and to respect a curfew and, above all, the ban on leaving the United States for five years despite Israeli pressure for him to leave. The US Department of Justice finally lifted the conditions in November.
A video released Wednesday morning by the Israeli Prime Minister’s office shows Jonathan Pollard and his wife Esther descending the gangway of a plane towards Benjamin Netanyahu, who raises his hand in greeting.
” You are home “
The former spy takes off his protective coronavirus mask and then kneels to kiss the ground, with his wife doing the same. The two then exchange a few words, after which Benyamin Netanyahu hands him an Israeli identity card.
“You are at home,” the Israeli prime minister told the couple. One who is considered a hero in Israel explains that he and his wife are “delighted to finally be home after 35 years and [ils] thanked[ent] the people and the Prime Minister of Israel [les] having brought home [eux] ».
“We hope to become productive citizens as quickly as possible and to continue with our lives here,” he added.
Secrets for thousands of dollars
Israel began its third confinement on Sunday because of the coronavirus pandemic, which notably imposes on new arrivals in the country a quarantine of at least ten days. There is no indication at this stage whether the Pollard couple have been exempted from this obligation or not.
Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed on November 21 “the lifting of restrictions on Jonathan Pollard” and wished that he arrives “in Israel soon”. According to the Israeli statement, he had “pledged to obtain the release [de Jonathan Pollard] for several years ”and had worked“ tirelessly ”to bring him back to Israel.
In the mid-1980s, Jonathan Pollard, an American Jew, made contact with an Israeli colonel in New York and began sharing US secrets with the Hebrew state, in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars. In total, he had disclosed thousands of American documents.
Diplomatic tensions
He was arrested in 1985 and sentenced two years later to life in prison after pleading guilty. His case has long been a thorn in relations between Washington and Israel.
Senior Pentagon or CIA intelligence officials have never forgiven the spy for the mass of classified defense-secret information delivered for money, and in the midst of the Cold War, to Israel’s strategic ally the United States.
According to CIA documents declassified in 2012, the ex-spy allegedly helped Israel bomb the headquarters of the then-exiled Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in Tunisia in 1985 – an attack that left some 60 people. dead – and the assassination of PLO number two Abou Jihad in Tunis in 1988.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
