Jonathan Pollard is a former U.S. Naval intelligence analyst who, in the 1980s, passed classified information to Israel — America’s closest ally — believing the Jewish state had a right to defend itself. He claimed the United States was withholding intelligence that could save Israeli lives. For that act, he was arrested, convicted of espionage, and sentenced to life in prison — the harshest punishment ever imposed on anyone who spied for an ally nation.
To the American intelligence world, he was a traitor. To many Israelis, he was a hero — a man who sacrificed his freedom out of love and loyalty to his people. His story still raises questions about national security, justice, and the price of moral conviction.
For me, this episode carries a different kind of weight. Jonathan Pollard was a household name in my family. My late father fought for his release — driven by a deep sense of Jewish loyalty and the belief that one man’s devotion to Israel should never be forgotten. Sitting across from Pollard decades later, I could feel my father’s presence in the room.
This wasn’t just a conversation about history — it was a bridge between generations, between conviction and love of country.
A rare and unfiltered look at one of the most controversial figures in modern intelligence history — and the man behind the headlines.
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