Messaging Bush, Jerusalem renames city square for Pollard

America in the Middle East

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By Stan Goodenough
January 08, 2008

In the presence of a small crowd, Jerusalem's City Council Monday changed the name of a square near the official prime minister's residence from Paris Square to Freedom for Jonathan Pollard Square.

The change was timed to take place just before US President George W. Bush arrives on his first official visit to Israel starting Wednesday.

Jonathan Pollard is an American Jew (with dual citizenship as an Israeli) who has been in prison for the last 22 years for spying for Israel against the US.

Even though Israel is an ally of the US, Pollard's sentence and the amount of time he has spent behind bars exceeds the penalties paid by American citizens who have been convicted for spying on behalf of America's enemies.

Administration after administration has rejected appeals for clemency, reinforcing the belief of many in Israel that Pollard is being scapegoated because he is Jewish. Former senior US officials have admitted that the Bush administration is holding Pollard in prison to use as a bargaining chip when it will best serve US interests.

According to Israelis working to secure Pollard's release, the Freedom for Jonathan Pollard Square will bear this name until Pollard is free to come home.

At least one of Bush's official meetings will take place at Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's nearby residence.