A Footnote to History

Looking for some more of my published articles and op-eds for my other site, MEDAD'S WORDS, I came across this excerpt from an article Geula Cohen wrote and had published in Ma'ariv on January 23, 1999, entitled "Barak Profits From Pollard".

In 1988, when I founded the Knesset Lobby for Pollard, with my parliamentary aid, Yisrael Medad, I turned to Edna Soladar of the Labor Party and enlisted her participation. She enthusiastically agreed and the two of us co-chaired the Lobby. This joint effort was important, I believe, not only because Pollard was arrested under a National Unity Government, but also because it lent moral strength to the Lobby, which counted amongst its members some 80 MKs from Left and Right.

To reference the Pollard issue and my involvement, check here and here.

Here is an action item I tried pushing through Women in Green:-

Jerusalem, January 15, 2001

An Appeal for Jonathan Pollard
From: Yisrael Medad

I served as the coordinator of the Knesset Lobby on behalf of Jonathan Pollard
between 1987 and 1994. I continue to remain a member. I visited him in his prisons at Marion and Butner.

At the urging of Avi Farhan (more later), I wish to point out to you and through you to tens of thousands of others, Jews and non-Jews, that there are eight (8)days left for U.S. President Bill Clinton to use his constitutional authority to grant clemency to Jonathan Pollard. Article II, Section 2 (1) states "the President shall...have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses".

And here's my letter that appeared in the NYTimes:-

To the Editor:

Former President Bill Clinton's defense of his pardon of Marc Rich and others (Op-Ed, Feb. 18) is admirable. However, the reasons he provides were applicable, in part, to at least one other person whom the last four Israeli prime ministers requested Mr. Clinton to pardon. In addition, many American Jewish leaders, non-Jewish personalities and people from other countries pleaded with Mr. Clinton in his favor.

That person is Jonathan Pollard.

Mr. Clinton, regardless of the difficulties he faces over the Rich pardon, owes these people a rational explanation of why Mr. Pollard did not merit a reprieve from his sentence of life imprisonment.

YISRAEL MEDAD
Shiloh, Israel, Feb. 18, 2001