September 27, 2001
By Joseph Algazy, Ha'aretz Correspondent
Twelve prominent rabbis from Europe and Israel asked President Moshe
Katsav on Tuesday to pardon Mordechai Vanunu on "humanitarian grounds."
They said his release from jail would "demonstrate the strength of Israeli
democracy and improve Israel's standing in the world."
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Mordechai
Vanunu:
Convicted of selling
Israeli atomic secrets
in 1988.
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In 1986, Vanunu leaked details about Israel's nuclear program to The
Sunday Times. He was convicted of selling Israeli atomic secrets at his
1988 trial and was sentenced to 18 years in prison, of which he has served
15.
Among the rabbis who signed the petition are Rabbi David Rozen, former
head rabbi in Ireland; Rabbi Yitzhak Newman, former head rabbi of the
Royal Air Force and community rabbi of the United Synagogue in London;
Rabbi Meir Shimon Vershovski, former head rabbi of Strassbourg, France;
and Rabbi Ya'acov Milgrom, professor emeritus of the University of
California who now resides in Jerusalem.
The rabbis' petition was sent to the president's residence in Jerusalem by
Dr. Daniel Rohrleich, who participated in a demonstration calling for a
pardon for Vanunu that took place Tuesday outside the president's
residence. Similar demonstrations were held in front of Israeli
representatives' residence's throughout cities in Europe, the United
States, Australia, India and other places in the world.
