JERUSALEM – Jonathan Pollard, an American jailed in the United States in 1985 for spying for Israel, landed in the Jewish state today, where he was received by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Pollard, 66, served 30 years in prison for giving away classified US documents, and had been confined by parole terms to the US since his release in 2015, despite Israeli pressure to allow him to leave.
The US Justice Department removed the terms and conditions last month.
A video distributed by the prime minister’s office showed Pollard and his wife Esther walking down the stairs of a plane toward Netanyahu, who raised his hand in welcome.
Pollard then removed his mask and got down on his hands and knees to kiss the Israeli ground, with Esther following suit.
Netanyahu along with Pollard said the traditional Jewish blessings for something long-awaited happening and for prisoners being released, before handing him an Israeli identity card.
“You're home,” the Israeli prime minister told the two.
Pollard said he and Esther were “ecstatic to be home at last after 35 years, and we thank the people and the prime minister of Israel for bringing us home”.
“We hope to become productive citizens as soon and as quickly as possible and to get on with our lives here,” he said.
Israel has imposed its third nationwide lockdown to contain the novel coronavirus and current restrictions compel anyone entering the country to spend at least 10 days in quarantine in a government-selected hotel.
There was no immediate indication as to whether Pollard and his wife had been exempted from those restrictions. – AFP, December 30, 2020
