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President Peres in US to receive Presidential Medal of Freedom, work to secure Jonathan Pollard’s release; some 70,000 Israelis sign a petition calling to free him
Singers stand beside rabbis. Actors stand beside professors. Professors stand beside Nobel Prize winners. On Wednesday, Israeli President Shimon Peres will receive a petition in which everyone stands arm in arm, joined together with one goal in mind: To give him the feeling that he has backing in his efforts to free Jonathan Pollard.
President Peres left Saturday night for a six-day visit in the US which will culminate when he receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. Peres is planning to use the opportunity to request that Obama free Jonathan Pollard, because of his failing health. Pollard has been incarcerated in the United States for 27 years.
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On the same day exactly, a little before the ceremony, the president will personally receive from Peres’ own hand a petition unprecedented in its scope and in the list of prominent names it contains. The petition which was signed by 70,000 citizens carries a moving message: “Out of great fear for Jonathan's health and out of a desire to see him live out the remainder of his life as a free man, we are asking you to employ your extraordinary diplomatic skills and your close relationship to President Obama to work intensively and without delay for the immediate release of Jonathan.”
Heading the list of names on the petition are leading public figures in Israeli society who have never before made common cause with each other in a united front on any issue. Who exactly? Former Hamas captive Gilad Shalit; former Israeli President Yitzhak Navon; rabbis Yona Metzger and Yoel Bin Nun; writers A.B. Yehoshua, Amos Oz, David Grossman and Aaron Appelfeld; Nobel Prize winners Professor Dan Schectman, Professor Aaron Cienchanover and Professor Israel Auman; actress Gila Almagor and actor Shlomo Vishanski; singers Shlomo Artzi and Yehoram Gaon, and political figures Tzipi Livni, Amon Rubinstein, Shimon Shitreet and Uzi Dayaan, among others.
“I wish and I hope that President Peres will succeed in employing his great personal influence, both as the President of Israel and as a man, to convince Obama to release Pollard from prison, on a humane and compassionate basis,” said Shalit last night. “Pollard broke the law 27 years ago, but according to all opinions, even those of senior American officials, he has served the time. He must be allowed to go free before it is too late.”
In addition to the petition, Peres will also receive a letter written in a similar spirit and signed by dozens of Israeli mayors and deputy mayors also calling for the immediate release of Jonathan Pollard. The signees include Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai and the Mayor of Petach Tikvah, Yitzhak Ohayan.
The Committee to Bring Jonathan Pollard Home explains that they are determined to have President Obama understand that the request for Pollard’s release isn’t just the personal wish of President Peres.
“There is today an absolute consensus in Israel which expects President Peres to bring to bear the full weight of his personal prestige and influence to ensure that this opportunity will not be missed.”
“I am very excited about the trip,” Peres said Saturday, shortly before getting on the plane. It is a great honor for me to represent the State. The medal that I am about to receive is a medal for the State of Israel.”
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