Ex-spy Jonathan Pollard joins Sharren Haskel's Israel First party ahead of elections

Jonathan Pollard announced on Sunday that he was joining MK Sharren Haskel’s Israel First party ahead of the upcoming Knesset election, in a joint statement filmed near the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

Pollard publicly declared his support for Haskel and the political direction of Israel First, a new right-wing party that the former deputy foreign minister launched in July.

“I believe in Sharren. And I believe in Israel,” Pollard said during the joint statement.

Haskel welcomed Pollard’s support, describing his decision to join the party as a significant boost for Israel First.

“The Israel First party is receiving significant reinforcement today from Israeli hero Jonathan Pollard, who paid a very heavy personal price for his commitment to Israel and the Jewish people,” Haskel said.

“To stand here today, near the Western Wall, and hear from him that he places his trust in me and in the path of ‘Israel First’ is a great privilege and a great responsibility. I accept that trust with humility and determination."

Pollard was in prison for 30 years after he was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1987 for spying and providing Israel with top-secret classified information. He pleaded guilty to the charges. He was released on parole in 2015 and stayed in the US until 2020. He then immigrated to Israel and received a hero’s welcome from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon his arrival.

However, Pollard has since become a strong critic of Netanyahu and has said the current government must be replaced in the upcoming election.