The Pollards arrive in Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, early this morning welcomed Jonathan and Esther Pollard on their arrival in Israel.
Jonathan and Esther Pollard greeted by Benjamin Netanyahu
The Prime Minister was moved to meet them on the tarmac next to the plane where they recited the Shehecheyanu blessing together.
Prime Minister Netanyahu gave Jonathan Pollard an Israeli identity card. The Prime Minister told the Pollards that it is good that they have come home where they will be able to start a new life, in freedom and happiness.
Jonathan Pollard said: “We are ecstatic to be home at last after 35 years and we thank the people and the Prime Minister of Israel for bringing us home. No one could be prouder of this country or this leader than we are and we hope to become productive citizens as soon and as quickly as possible and to get on with our lives here. This is a wonderful country. It has a tremendous future. It is the future of the Jewish people and we’re not going anywhere.”
The Pollards arrived in Israel on a direct private flight from Liberty Airport to Ben Gurion Airport. The flight was funded by billionaire Sheldon Adelson.
Benjamin Netanyahu and Jonathan Pollard
The Pollards will live in Jerusalem.
They entered a two-week quarantine upon their arrival in the Jewish state.
Jonathan Pollard’s his attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner said: “This is Pollard’s first sunrise in Jerusalem. We all pray that the pain and suffering of Pollard’s long years in prison will be behind him forever,” stated his attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner.
After serving 30 years in a US prison for his espionage activity for Israel, Pollard, a former US Navy analyst, was released in 2015 but was banned from leaving the US and was placed under several other limitations. Under the terms of his parole, Pollard was forced to remain in the US until 2020 unless he receives permission from the president to leave. The restrictions ended and were not extended in November.
Pollard’s wife Esther, an Israeli citizen, is contending with advanced cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy, and so the Pollards’ arrival in Israel was delayed.
GPO/TPS
