Former spy Jonathan Pollard joins Sharren Haskel’s Israel First party

Former spy Jonathan Pollard announced on Sunday that he is joining Israel First, a political party established by former deputy minister Sharren Haskel ahead of Israel’s upcoming elections. Speaking near the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the 72-year-old Pollard criticized the government's handling of the October 7 attack, stating that the event convinced him that Israel requires new leadership and a new government. Addressing Haskel directly, Pollard described her as a trustworthy figure capable of preventing future security failures. Pollard, an American-born former civilian intelligence analyst for the U.S. Navy, was arrested by the FBI in 1985 and pleaded guilty to providing classified information to Israel. After serving a life sentence and being released on parole in 2015, he moved to Israel in 2020 once his travel restrictions expired. Sharren Haskel welcomed Pollard’s endorsement, calling it a significant boost for her party. Pollard had previously endorsed Ayelet Shaked in 2022, though he withdrew that support on the same day following political pressure.