January 12, 2011

Schultz urges release of Pollard

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Former U.S. Secretary of State George Schultz has written to President Obama asking him to release Jonathan Pollard.

The letter delivered Tuesday says that Pollard has “now paid a huge price for his espionage on behalf of Israel and should be released from prison.”

In the letter, Schultz also said that he is impressed that people who are “best informed” about the classified material that Pollard passed to Israel favor his release.

Schultz, 90, served as secretary of state for seven years under President Reagan. He served in the same government as Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, whose opinion was used by the court to sentence Pollard to life in prison.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent Obama a letter last week requesting clemency for Pollard, Israel’s first formal request for Pollard’s release.