Convicted spy and former US intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard announces Knesset run

Former U.S. intelligence analyst and convicted spy Jonathan Pollard announced on Sunday that he is entering Israeli politics.Appearing with former deputy foreign minister Sharren Haskel at the Western Wall, Pollard said he would run for the Knesset on the slate of the newly formed Israel First Party founded by Haskel.The 72-year-old Pollard said the failures surrounding Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack had convinced him that Israel has been “abandoned and betrayed” by its leadership.“With you, I hope there will be a new government dedicated to protecting the land and the people of Israel,” said Pollard.After Oct. 7, 2023, “no one wanted to take responsibility,” he said.He also praised Haskel for her past efforts on his behalf, saying she had worked quietly and effectively without seeking credit.“The only way to prevent another Oct. 7 is to put people like you in positions of responsibility,” he said.Haskel welcomed Pollard’s decision to join…
Jonathan Pollard, a former U.S. intelligence analyst and convicted spy, announced on Sunday his entry into Israeli politics, stating he will run for the Knesset with the newly formed Israel First Party. Appearing with the party's founder, former deputy foreign minister Sharren Haskel, Pollard, 72, cited the failures surrounding Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack as his motivation, believing Israel has been “abandoned and betrayed” by its leadership. He expressed hope for “a new government dedicated to protecting the land and the people of Israel.” Pollard was arrested in 1985 for providing classified information to Israel, sentenced to life in prison in 1987, and moved to Israel in 2020 after his parole restrictions expired. Haskel, a former Likud lawmaker, welcomed Pollard’s decision, calling his support a privilege and a responsibility.
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