Jonathan Pollard

Who is Jonathan Pollard?

Jonathan Jay Pollard is an American convicted of passing classified information to Israel while working as a civilian intelligence analyst. He pleaded guilty and received a life sentence in 1987. Because his crime occurred prior to November 1, 1987, he is eligible for parole after 30 years in prison provided he continues to maintain a clean record, and may be released on November 21, 2015.

Israel granted Pollard citizenship in 1995, but denied until 1998 that it had bought classified information from him. Israeli activist groups as well as high-profile Israeli and American politicians have lobbied for his release, and see his punishment as unfair. Pollard's case was later linked to that of Ben-ami Kadish, another U.S. citizen who pled guilty to charges of passing classified information to Israel in the same period. Pollard is the only person in U.S. history to receive a life sentence for spying for an ally. Israeli leaders apologized to the U.S. for Pollard's case, and according to author Rabbi Avi Weiss Pollard has "expressed regret" for his actions.