Newsademic British English edition 260

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released
Jonathan Pollard was released from 
prison in the USA on 20th N o­
vember. He had been behind bars 
for 30 years, less one day. M r Pol­
lard was arrested in 1985. A court 
ruled that he was guilty of spying 
for Israel. M r Pollard was given a 
life sentence. Then, in the USA, a 
life sentence was equal to 45 years 
in prison.
In 1948 the USA and the United 
Nations (UN) helped to set up a 
new Jewish state. Called Israel, the 
country was to be in an area of the 
Middle East known as Palestine. 
Thousands of Jewish people from 
Europe and other parts of the world 
moved there.
At that time, many Palestin­
ians who lived in the area that be­
came Israel were forced to leave 
their land and homes. M ost had to 
move to refugee camps in nearby 
countries. After the set up o f Israel, 
Jewish people had their own coun­
try. Yet many Palestinians were left 
without one.
Jonathan P ollard around the time o f his arrest
Nearby Arab countries were 
angry about what had happened. 
The set up of a new Jewish state 
led to several wars between Israel 
and the surrounding Arab nations. 
Israel, with the backing of the 
USA, won them easily. The USA 
is Israel’s main supporter. Yet many 
American presidents have been dis­
appointed that Israeli leaders have 
not agreed to make peace with the 
Palestinians. Israel’s leaders blame 
the Palestinians for the violence. 
Several Palestinian groups refuse to 
recognise Israel’s right to exist.
Many Jewish people in America 
hold senior positions in govern­
ment and business. These people 
have been nicknamed the ‘Jewish 
Lobby’. M ost political experts agree 
that the Jewish Lobby’s influence 
is powerful. It means that an anti- 
Israel politician is unlikely to ever 
be elected as the president of the 
USA. This is why the USA has been 
involved in all peace talks between 
the Palestinians and Israel.
M r Pollard was born into a Jew­
ish family. He travelled to Israel as