Israeli spy Pollard released

Former US Naval Intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard, convicted in the US for life in prison for spying for Israel in 1987, was released. He served his sentence in a prison in the city of Butner (North Carolina). A total of Pollard spent behind bars 30 years, the newspaper said The Jerusalem Post.

Under the terms of parole, Jonathan Pollard is required to report regularly to the police. He is also prohibited from leaving the United States for five years, giving interviews and using the Internet. In case of violation of these conditions, he may be returned to prison.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a statement on Friday that Pollard had been released, emphasizing that he “welcomes this decision of the US authorities.” “After thirty long years of hardship, Jonathan is finally reunited with his family,” the head of government said. According to JP, Pollard has already met his wife Esther, who has flown to the United States.

Pollard, who will be 61 in August, worked as an analyst in the intelligence structure of the US Navy. According to the US authorities, in 1984, he began to cooperate with the security services of Israel, but during the year he was exposed by American counterintelligence. Jonathan Pollard was arrested on November 21 of 1985 of the year on charges of transferring a large amount of information to Israel. At first, he denied that he had transferred secret documents to Israeli intelligence, but in 1986, he pleaded guilty in the hope of avoiding life sentence. Nevertheless, the court sentenced him a year later exactly to that date.

Jonathan Pollard was granted Israeli citizenship while in detention. Israel has repeatedly demanded his release from the United States, but each time requests were dismissed.

Benjamin Netanyahu, when information appeared about Pollard's impending release, asked the United States to allow Pollard, after his release, to go to Israel, where his second wife lives. But, according to the AR, the White House said they are not going to change the conditions of parole. Pollard himself said earlier that after his release from prison he wanted to emigrate to Israel, where his wife lives and where he can count on compensation from the state for the years spent behind bars. The media noted that the Pollard case is still overshadowing the relationship of two strategic allies.

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