Jonathan Pollard Slams Electronic Monitoring of Settlers

Former Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard has issued a scathing criticism of the Israeli military's decision to impose electronic monitoring on settlement activists, calling the practice "disgraceful" and "unacceptable."

The rebuke comes after a precedent-setting incident this week in which Central Command chief Avi Bluth signed an administrative order requiring a settler to wear an electronic ankle monitor to track his movements, the first time such a measure has been applied to settlement activists.

For Pollard, the issue is deeply personal. "This brought back very bad memories for me," he said, referring to the five years he was required to wear such a device during his parole in New York. "I find this tactic disgraceful and unacceptable."

Pollard accused security authorities of applying a double standard in their enforcement policies. He drew comparisons between the treatment of settlers and other groups he believes escape similar scrutiny.

"I want to ask a simple question: How many of the Israeli anarchists who regularly disrupt life in the West Bank and threaten our soldiers are wearing electronic monitors? The answer is zero," Pollard stated.

He extended the comparison to prisoners released in hostage exchanges: "How many of the Arab terrorists who were just released in the hostage deals are wearing electronic monitors? I'll answer that too: zero. But our hilltop youth, our pioneers in the territories, should wear shackles?"

Pollard linked what he described as security failures in combating terrorism to civilians taking matters into their own hands. He argued that if the state provided adequate security, independent actions by settlers would be unnecessary.

"Here's my suggestion to the police, Shin Bet, and especially the army: Why don't you just eliminate the terror problems in the West Bank?" Pollard asked. "Maybe then we won't have actions by civilians taking the law into their own hands to protect their lives, their communities, and their farms."

He concluded with a stark proposal: "Instead of putting on shackles, remove all the terror elements. Send them to their 'Salafi paradise' in Syria. That way we won't need electronic monitors, and we won't have to attend more funerals."