Imprisoned Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard was rushed to a North Carolina
hospital on Friday after having collapsed in his jail cell. Pollard’s wife
Esther was informed of his hospitalization, but the severity of his condition
was not initially known. The Free Pollard Campaign said he had been in great
pain in recent weeks.
Pollard, who marked the 27th anniversary of his
arrest two weeks ago, was last hospitalized in April after suffering from
extreme pain. Sources described his situation at the time as
lifethreatening.
His long list of ailments include: Diabetes, nausea,
dizziness, blackouts and ongoing issues with his gall bladder, kidneys, sinuses,
eyes and feet. He also suffers from Meniere’s disease, which causes him to lose
consciousness and fall without warning. Esther Pollard asked the public to pray
for her husband, whose Hebrew name is Yonatan Ben-Malka. She said she was very
worried about him.
President Shimon Peres and Esther Pollard have issued
formal clemency requests to US President Barack Obama, but he has never
responded.
US presidents usually grant pardons and commute sentences
during the American holiday season that began with Thanksgiving on November 22.