Jonathan Pollard: ‘I was raped in prison because of what I did for Israel’

Former spy Jonathan Pollard reveals he was raped while serving his prison sentence, claims it was an act of revenge for his espionage on behalf of Israel.

By World Israel News Staff

Former spy Jonathan Pollard made a bombshell revelation on Israeli radio Tuesday morning, opening up for the first time ever in public regarding the alleged sexual assault he endured in prison.

Speaking with the national radio broadcaster Kan Reshet Bet, the 71-year-old American émigré, who now lives in Jerusalem, compared Israel’s “abandonment” of him in the 1980s to the failures that enabled the success of Hamas’ 2023 invasion.

“I assumed that my abandonment and the betrayal of me were an exceptional event as far as Israel was concerned,” Pollard said.

“But on October 7, I realized I was not exceptional. The entire country was abandoned and betrayed. At that point I came to the conclusion that I must do whatever I can to prevent such a tragedy.”

Pollard, who has aligned himself with the Israeli right since immigrating in December 2020, criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the handling of the wars with Hamas and Iran, accusing the premier of caving to President Donald Trump.

“Throughout the war, Netanyahu should have stood firm against Trump when it came to Israel’s security interests.”

The former intelligence analyst later defended his meeting this July with US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, and shared details regarding abuse he suffered while in prison.

“There was nothing secret at all about the meeting,” Pollard said, following criticism in the US over a sitting ambassador meeting with an ex-spy convicted of stealing US classified documents.

Hinting that the CIA leaked details of the meeting, Pollard called the agency a “tool of the Democratic Party,” and said the US embassy in Jerusalem must be “cleaned out” of Democrat-affiliated CIA personnel.

Turning to the sexual assaults suffered by Israeli hostages during the October 7 invasion and their captivity in Gaza, Pollard expressed support for those survivors who have spoken out, mentioning that he was raped while in prison.

“I was raped in prison as revenge for my actions on behalf of Israel. I’m glad some of the hostages are talking about it now. We need to understand the monsters we are dealing with.”

“I know what it’s like to be buried alive, I know what it’s like to be brutally treated, including being raped, I understand that, under interrogation.”

Pollard again hinted at a possible Knesset run, saying that after the 2023 invasion, he has concluded that he must “do whatever” he can to “prevent such a tragedy” from happening again.