President Shimon Peres this morning, the first day chol hamoed Pesach in Eretz Yisrael met with Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita in his Har Nof home. From there Mr. Peres went to meet with Israel’s chief rabbis, HaGaon HaRav Moshe Shlomo Amar Shlita and HaGaon HaRav Yona Yechiel Metzger Shlita.

Rav Yosef called on the president to act towards persuading the United States to pardon Pollard.

In the afternoon, the president will be meeting with Mrs. Esther Pollard, who will also call upon him to do whatever he can to persuade the White House to free her husband.

Mr. Peres has recently taken an increasingly active role towards calling on the White House to pardon convicted spy Jonathan Pollard, whose ailing health took a turn for the worse, compelling prison authorities to hospitalize him.

Mr. Peres called on US President Barak Obama to release Pollard when the two met last month. Later today, Mr. Peres will be meeting with MK Uri Ariel, who heads the Knesset caucus to free Pollard. He will present the president with a letter signed by 80 members of Knesset to be given to President Obama. Mr. Peres is planning to meet with Mr. Obama again in June. Israel’s chief rabbis have also made numerous appeals to the White House to pardon Mr. Pollard.

The tzibur is requested to continue being mispallel for Yehonosson ben Malka

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem – Posted 1st Day Chol Hamoed from Eretz Yisrael)