In a effort to help speed up the release of imprisoned Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, a second petition was posted online, this one asking Jews in Israel and around the world to urge every Knesset Member to stage a walkout during President Barack Obama’s upcoming speech in the Knesset—should Obama not set Pollard free.
But while the original petition calling on Obama to bring the freed Pollard with him to Israel has reached 116,645 signature, its more aggressive sister is still in the realm of three-digits.
MK Moshe Feiglin has already announced that he would boycott Obama’s Knesset speech to protest Pollard’s continued imprisonment. A couple of weeks ago, Feiglin wrote:
“Today, Ta’anit Esther, I understood that we have reached the red line, beyond which – we’re losing our brother Jonathan Pollard. The President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama, is scheduled to arrive in Israel and to speak in the Knesset on the eve of Passover. You are welcome, Mr. President – along with our brother Jonathan. With God’s help, when Obama releases our brother Jonathan, I would be delighted to honor him and listen to his speech in the Knesset plenum. But if, God forbid, our brother will not be released, I call on all my colleagues, the Knesset Members, to join me and to leave the Knesset plenum deserted during the speech of the head of a state which has been holding our brother Jonathan captive for 28 years.”
The petition is in Hebrew, but it offers instructions for English speakers.
The Jewish Press has learned that Jonathan and Esther Pollard have asked that Israelis not protest against President Obama during his visit. And, meanwhile, the Obama speech has been moved from the Knesset to the International Convention Center (Binyanei Ha’uma) in Jerusalem.
