Massive Phone-In to White House to Free Pollard for Funeral
Sivan 17, 5771, 19 June 11 02:06by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
Israelnationalnews.com
Two campaigns were launched Sunday to free prisoner Jonathan Pollard to attend his father's funeral Monday morning -a massive phone-in to the White House and political pressure from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
The Obama administration last week remained silent to requests to free Pollard long enough to visit his 95-year-old father before he died Saturday. Officials will have to act almost immediately if they want to allow him to help bury his father. He would have to leave his cell several hours before the funeral in South Bend, Indiana, and security arrangements would have to be implemented.
The main desk phone number at the White House is 202-456-1414 . Activists said that there is no time for e-mails and told supporters, "The number to the main desk does not take messages; however, if numerous people are calling non-stop, the message will reverberate throughout the White House and it will have an effect." (JF note: I just called and tried and was told that the White House does not take messages but if you call and ask to have the president let Pollard go to his father's funeral, the message is likely to get through all the same. For those with free nights and weekend cell phone plans in the US, the call is free and the whole thing takes less than 20 seconds. there's really no good reason NOT to do this. Also, the White House Operator will tell you that you need to go to the web site to send a message. this takes all of about 30 seconds and costs nothing so please do it AS WELL.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
In addition, a rally is scheduled at 7 p.m. (noon EDT) opposite the American Embassy in Tel Aviv under the banner, "Obama: Show a bit of humanity. Let Pollard accompany his father to his final resting place.#157;
On the political front, Prime Minister Netanyahu said he will submit a formal diplomatic request on behalf of Pollard, who is serving a life term in prison for passing on classified information to America's ally, Israel -- an offense that usually carries a 2-4 year prison term. Likud Minister Limor Livnat said that Prime Minister Netanyahu has "worked hard the past week#157; to try to convince the Obama administration to allow Pollard out of prison to visit his father, who was an award-winning professor at Notre Dame University in Indiana. "I really hope the U.S. administration shows minimal humanity and lets him out of prison after 26 years to be at the funeral,#157; she added. Jewish Home Minister Daniel Hershkowitz, a member of the coalition government, stated, "The man has been rotting in an American prison. His mother passed away, and he was not allowed to see his father before his death, too. I want to remind everyone that he was not acting against the United States but rather to obtain information on [Arab] terrorists.#157; Kadima MK Ronit Tirosh said that if the United States does not allow Jonathan Pollard to help bury his father, she will boycott the annual American Independence Day party at the ambassador's house. Nachman Shai, also a Kadima MK, called on American Jews to speak up for Pollard. "Five million Jews live in the United States, and they are silent,#157; he said. "A clear statement needs to come from them.#157; www.IsraelNationalNews.com <http://www.israelnationalnews.com/> © Copyright IsraelNationalNews.com
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[PHOTO LINK IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] The Aron carrying Hagon Rav Yitzchok Dov Koppelman ZATZAL, Rosh Yeshiva of Lucerne Yeshiva in Switzerland, has arrived at the Mir Yerushalayim, where tens of thousands of people have gathered to give proper Kavod to the Zekan Roshei HaYeshivos, (the world's senior Rosh HaYeshiva). Rav Koppelman was Niftar 
