Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on August 30, 2022

Ex-spy Pollard endorses Shaked despite her misplaced loyalty

Former American spy Jonathan Pollard has released a video endorsing Ayelet Shaked, leader of the fledgling Zionist Spirit party, making his first intentional public foray into Israeli politics.

Because of my unqualified love of this country and my dedication to its survival and well being, I must now endorse someone who I know will serve Israel in a way that will safeguard both our core interests and our honor. That person is Ayelet Shaked, he says in a video posted to social media.

Speaking in English, Pollard chides Shaked for her misplaced loyalty in Israels last government, but says he thinks she has changed.

I truly believe that she realizes the mistakes she made and will not repeat her error, he says. We need her now, free and clear of the bad influences that hurt both her personal reputation and her political credibility.

He does not mention Shakeds party, which is currently not forecast to make it into the Knesset, though it may get a boost from the endorsement, which had apparently been sought by other right-wing parties.

Shaked tells Army Radio she did not pursue Pollards support, but shes happy for the backing of the right-wing cause celebre.

Its always good in politics when someone gives you support and I hope the public hears his words, she says.

Pollard, a former US Navy analyst, served 30 years in prison for passing secrets to Israel. in the 1980s He moved to Israel in 2020, and though Israeli officials avoided fanfare to keep from angering Washington, Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu nonetheless greeted him on the tarmac, in what was seen as a bid to boost his own electoral chances.

Then-prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) greets released US spy-for-Israel Jonathan Pollard and his wife Esther at Ben Gurion Airport, December 30, 2020 (Courtesy)

Reacting to the endorsement, Likud MK Shlomo Karhi tweets, and then deletes, This is like going on another spy mission for someone who betrayed you.

He later says he only sought to criticize the scammer Shaked, and meant no disrespect to Pollard.

Simcha Rothman, a spot on whose Religious Zionism partys slate was turned down by Pollard last week, expresses dismay at the video, but tries to keep his criticism focused on Shaked and not the former spy.

Everything may be true. It may be that Ayelet Shakeds actions are not evil, her convictions are not malicious, and she is not even guided by stupidity, he says in an English-language statement. But the bottom line is that it doesnt really matter If she showed weakness at the most critical moments in the history of the State of Israel and fell precisely on issues that were at the core of her actions and her ideology, she is simply not suitable for the position.

Excerpt from:

Strike looms after court rejects states request to order teachers to work - The Times of Israel

Category: Israel
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