What about Pollard?

We all should be elated by, and grateful for the news (“Naama Issachar returns after 10 months in prison,” January 31), which by the way should not be diminished even slightly by the criticism from the Left regarding her flight home on the plane with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Who cares? What difference does it make? What matters is that she is safely home with her family and the people of Israel.

At the same time, we should feel sadness, empathy, and pain by what appears to be the continued abandonment of Jonathan Pollard by both our PM, by not demonstrating a continual full-court press for Pollard’s release throughout the PM’s multiple terms in office and by US President Donald Trump’s apparent lack of response to pleas from major US Jewish organizations and past US-appointed and elected officials for the commutation Pollard’s parole; which would bring relief to his wife Esther, during her current critical medical crisis.

We can only pray and keep up the pressure on both Netanyahu, regardless of the timing before the forthcoming Knesset election, and upon Trump, including his key “Deal of the Century” advisers, Kushner, Friedman, Greenblatt, and Secretary Menuchin, that the commutation is implemented now so that we can welcome Pollard with joy and expressions of gratitude for his sacrifice on behalf of Israel and the Jewish nation. SIDNEY SHOLOM STRAJCHER

Jerusalem