Jonathan Pollard. Photo: U.S. Navy via Wikimedia Commons

JNS.org – Bill Richardson, who served as the governor of New Mexico and the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, called for jailed Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard’s release in a Dec. 10 letter to President Barack Obama.

“Virtually everyone who was in a high position of government—and dealt with the ramifications of what Pollard did at the time—now support his release,” Richardson wrote, citing calls for Pollard’s release by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and John McCain (R-AZ), former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former CIA Director Woolsey, and former Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee Dennis DeConcini, among others.

In an interview published Dec. 8, former Arkansas governor and 2008 presidential candidate Mike Huckabee told JNS.org, “Pollard has been in prison longer than most people who have done more than he did, and I think particularly in light of his current health situation, [pardoning him] would be a nice gesture toward our allies in Israel, and it would be I think a very important humanitarian gesture as well.”

On Nov. 21, Pollard entered his 29th year in U.S. prison. He is the only person in U.S. history to receive a life sentence for spying for an American ally.

“Israel and Pollard have both publicly apologized for their actions,” Richardson wrote to Obama. “Pollard cooperated with the government and has been a model prisoner. I have dealt with cases around the world of people who are imprisoned and I have decided to add my voice to this case because I believe it is right that Pollard be released.”