Former US intelligence analyst and convicted spy Jonathan Pollard attacked the Israeli government's use of administrative expulsion orders for Israeli settler and far-right activist Elisha Yered on Wednesday.
Last week, the Israeli military imposed a six-month administrative restraining order barring Yered from entering the West Bank following his involvement in the killing of a Palestinian during riots in Burka September.
Pollard met with residents of the illegal outpost of Ramat Migron, where Yered lived before the expulsion, in the Binyamin Region of the West Bank; among them were Yered's family members.
During his visit, Pollard expressed his support for the settlers and strongly criticized the government's adoption of what he deemed as flawed methods that he claimed were previously utilized by the British during the early years of the State of Israel.
Pollard asserted: "We were commanded to settle the land that God gave us. I believe that until the concept of expelling Jews from Judea and Samaria ceases, no government, including the current one, has the legitimacy to claim that they represent the Jewish people politically and legislatively."
Pollard then directed his comments to Yered's wife, Noa, who has been an outspoken advocate for her husband's return to the outpost.
Pollard declared, "This brave woman defends our land. The least that the prime minister can do is return her husband to her and allow them to settle our land together. I am completely appalled that her husband was expelled from Judea and Samaria. It's a method the British used regularly during the early years of the State of Israel. I am shocked, saddened, and disgusted that the government adopted the methods of our imperialist occupiers."
He continued, "I think that if our prime minister had even a hint of Jewish pride and nationalism in him, he would prohibit the use of expulsion orders and prevent this from happening. The husband of this woman is innocent."
Who is Elisha Yered?
Yered and Yehiel Indore are suspected of firing the fatal bullet which killed the 19-year-old Palestinian Qusai Jamal Ma'atan, during a violent clash between settlers and Palestinians outside the Burka Village in the West Bank in early August.
Yered and Indore were called to the scene by a Jewish shepherd herding his sheep some 250 meters from the back end of the Burka village.
He asked for help from area settlers including those in the nearby Oz Zion outpost, explaining that he had been attacked by Palestinians.
The incident, which drew an increasing number of Palestinians and settlers, took place for close to two hours before security forces were called to the scene. When they arrived, Ma'atan had already been shot dead with an M-16 rifle and Indore was injured due to a stone being thrown at his head, resulting in a fractured skull.
Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.