US Ambassador Apologizes to Israel, But Storm Just Increases
Oh my God! Where is the barf bag!!! No 'Merry Christmas' but only 'Season's Greetings'; No Christmas carols unless you also sing Hanukkah songs and on and on... Now also no criticizing of convicted spies against the US because they are Jews and it might be 'anti-Semitic?!
Can you imagine any ambassador in the world apologizing for criticizing a convicted enemy spy... let alone the ambassador of the US apologizing to Israel?? The tail is wagging the dog big time! What a laugh the Israelis must have had!
According to Israel, Mr. Pollard is soon going to be released and even pardonned! Maybe he should also be given a Nobel prize for Peace.
"Better to die on your feet, than to live on your knees."
- Emiliano Zapata -
Ambassador Apologizes, But Storm Just Increases
Published: 05/22/07, 1:05 PM
by Hillel Fendel
(IsraelNN.com) US Ambassador Richard Jones has apologized for his statements about Jonathan Pollard. Pollard supporters, however, have a series of demands: They want a full retraction from Jones, as well as immediate action by Prime Minister Olmert to demand a pardon from US President Bush. They also say they won't let Israel get away with low-level Foreign Ministry talk of a release on "humanitarian" grounds.
The story began at Bar Ilan University on Monday morning, when Ambassador Jones told an audience that Pollard "took money for what he did [and] sold out his country." Even more controversial was his comment, "The fact that [Pollard] wasn't executed is the mercy that Jonathan Pollard will receive."
Pollard's wife Esther called the remarks "malicious incitement" in that they implied that Jonathan had committed treason. In fact, Jonathan Pollard was not convicted of any crime that carries capital punishment. Later in the day, Jones apologized, saying his words reflected neither his personal views nor those of the Bush administration. Saying his remarks were "misinformed and misleading," Jones added, "I certainly do not personally believe that Mr. Pollard should have received capital punishment, and I was appalled to learn that I had given that impression."
The statement of apology was emailed by Stewart Tuttle, the press attaché of the US Embassy in Tel Aviv to, among others, Malcolm Hoenlein, Vice-Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations. The email included the comment, "I personally thank you for helping us through this difficulty."
Esther Pollard said that without a full retraction, Jones's apology is inadequate: "Ambassador Jones falsely accused my husband of treason, falsely accused my husband of spying for money, and falsely accused him of harming the United States. He suggested that Jonathan ought to have been executed, reinforcing the false charge of treason. All of these false charges made by Richard Jones against Jonathan Pollard are still out in the public domain and doing damage. Unless and until Jones takes retracts these egregious lies and corrects the record, his apology is at best incomplete, and at worst insincere."
MK Uri Ariel, head of the Knesset Lobby for Pollard, said, "It's nice that [Jones] said he's sorry, but now the time has come to release Pollard, not just to apologize. The Prime Minister must turn immediately to US President Bush, demand an end to this disgrace, and have Pollard freed immediately."
Esther Pollard on Foreign Ministry Position
It was widely reported that after Jones's original speech, the Foreign Ministry turned to Jones asking him for Pollard's release based on "humanitarian reasons." Arutz-7 has learned, however, that what actually occurred was that Foreign Ministry official Yoram Ben-Ze'ev spoke with Jones and "reiterated the Ministry's well-known position on Pollard." Asked to explain what this "well-known" position actually includes, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mark Regev told Arutz-7, "Israel has apologized for its mistakes in the Pollard affair and believes that he should be released on humanitarian grounds."
It could not be ascertained what Ben-Ze'ev actually told Jones - but Mrs. Pollard said it doesn't matter: "The whole thing just shows how not seriously Israel is taking this issue. It is not the place of a minor Foreign Ministry official to tell the Ambassador that it 'believes Pollard should be released'; this is something the Prime Minister of Israel must bring up directly with the President of the United States, who is the only one who can pardon Pollard. The Prime Minister is in constant contact with the White House. Official agents are not released just as a 'favor' on humanitarian grounds."
really... it became mocking country worldwide..give thanks to neocons and their masters. If it wasn't bloody it would be comical to see superpower fearing regime that has no even sovereign state borders. Yak..
"Let there be Light!"