Feiglin: Pollard supports IDF refusers

Pollard carries a picture of Avi Bieber in his wallet alongside picture of wife.

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard supports IDF soldiers who disobeyed orders to evacuate Jews from their homes in Gaza Strip settlements and outposts in Judea and Samaria, Likud activist Moshe Feiglin said following a two-hour meeting with Pollard at his Butner, North Carolina, jail cell on Tuesday. Feiglin revealed that Pollard carried a picture of IDF refuser Avi Bieber in his pocket alongside a picture of Pollard's wife Esther. Esther Pollard called Bieber with warm regards from her husband when Bieber was in jail for refusing orders to evacuate Jews in the Gaza Strip. "In moments of despair, the picture gives him strength," Feiglin said. "He thinks the IDF has given up its moral backbone, and I agree." Bieber told The Jerusalem Post he was "touched and honored" to hear Feiglin's report and said that when he was in jail, looking at pictures also strengthened him. "Pollard is a hero who helped this country a lot," Bieber said. "I would love to meet him and I hope he will be released soon." Feiglin said Pollard, who in November entered the 21st year of a life sentence for passing classified information to Israel, lost hope in Israeli politicians after they promised to help him countless times and never came through. He said he doubted that Pollard still said the prayer for the welfare of the State of Israel on Shabbat. "He is a strong man and he has not given up hope of getting out of jail, even though there is no practical reason for him to have hope," Feiglin said. "He has no regrets about his actions that saved countless Jewish lives. He will go free as soon as Israel makes a serious effort to get him free." Pollard endorsed Feiglin's campaign to become Likud leader. Feiglin accused the Israeli government of giving the US administration signals that they should keep Pollard in jail. "The State of Israel wants him to die or to go crazy, but he refuses," he said.