Jonathan Pollard, a former U. S. Navy intelligence analyst who spent 30 years in prison for spying for Israel, announced on Monday that he plans to enter Israeli politics and run in the upcoming election. In an interview with Channel 13, Pollard explained that his decision came after a lot of thought, but the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, was a significant moment for him. He stated that the attack and the national turmoil that followed pushed him to get involved in public life. During the interview, Pollard shared strong opinions about Gaza’s future, saying he supports a “full transfer” of its population. He mentioned that Israel isn’t winning the war and suggested that new leadership is needed with clearer policies. When asked about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Pollard said he would respect any democratic choice but insisted that Israel needs to review its leadership’s performance since Oct. 7. He expressed no fundamental issues with collaborating with some political figures but strongly opposed working with Netanyahu’s main rival, former prime minister Naftali Bennett. Pollard acknowledged Bennett’s valid criticisms of Netanyahu but pointed out that Bennett’s past security decisions made cooperation impossible. Pollard also stated he would run alongside Nissim Louk, father of Shani Louk-a German-Israeli woman who became one of the most recognized victims of the Oct. 7 attack after an image of her body in a pickup truck went viral globally. Louk was killed while trying to escape from the Nova music festival near the Gaza border where terrorists took many lives; her body was later taken into Gaza. Israeli forces recovered her remains in May 2024 along with those of Amit Buskila and Itzhak Gelernter. 2 View gallery
Nissim and Ricarda Louk standing next to a portrait of their daughter Shani
(Photo: Amit Shabi)
Pollard continues to be one of the most controversial figures in U. S.-Israel relations. In 1986, he pled guilty to conspiracy to commit espionage after supplying Israeli contacts with hundreds of classified documents obtained while serving as a naval intelligence specialist for the U. S. He received a life sentence in 1987 but was released on parole in 2015 after serving three decades; he had to stay in America for another five years afterward. His parole ended in 2020.
Pollard drew attention again recently following a reported meeting with U. S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee at the American Embassy in Jerusalem. Reports indicated that White House officials were not informed about this meeting ahead of time and it wasn’t clear if Huckabee had gotten approval from the State Department beforehand. The CIA expressed concern over this meeting as it might suggest a more lenient U. S. approach towards espionage by allies. Later on, Pollard clarified that this meeting was personal and intended as thanks to Huckabee for his support during his imprisonment.Source link
