Obama will not intervene to allow former spy to make aliyah

Newly Freed Jonathan Pollard‘s hopes of making aliyah were dealt a blow this week. Pollard, 61, a former naval intelligence analyst who sold US secrets to Israel, was freed on strict parole conditions last week, and the White House has confirmed that it will not intervene in the Justice Department process.

Some American Jewish groups, such as Agudath Israel and the Zionist Organisation of America, have asked President Barack Obama to let Pollard move to Israel to live with his second wife, while other groups simply welcomed his release.

Israeli leaders were asked to mute their jubilation at the end of Pollard’s prison term for espionage.

However, it was welcomed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who tweeted: “The people of Israel welcome the release of Jonathan Pollard… May this Sabbath bring [him] much joy and peace that will continue in the years and decades ahead.”