Petition to Peres: Push for Pollard ahead of medal
Thousands of Israelis signed a petition calling on President
Shimon Peres to secure the release of convicted spy Jonathan Pollard, jailed in
the United States.
Pollard worked as an intelligence analyst at the U.S. Naval
Intelligence Command and was sentenced to life in 1987 for spying for Israel.
Some 10,000 Israelis have signed the petition demanding the
president seek Pollard's release before accepting the presidential Medal of
Freedom from U.S. President Barack Obama, Yedioth Ahronoth said Tuesday.
Speaking at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee
conference in Washington last month, Obama announced he would award Peres the
medal.
Israeli political officials, academics, artists and actors are
among those who signed the petition, the Hebrew language daily said.
"Due to the superior values the medal represents, we feel we
cannot reconcile you receiving it when the United States is still holding
Pollard in prison," the petition reads, adding, "We ask you to take
advantage of your unprecedented diplomatic standing in order to work for
Jonathan's immediate release before you are given the medal. Otherwise receiving
the medal would make a mockery of Israel."
Peres is due to receive the medal at a ceremony in Washington June
13.
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