Israel Asks Obama to Release Convicted Spy Israel's prime minister has called on the United States to release convicted spy Jonathan Pollard after the former U.S. Navy intelligence analyst was hospitalized this week. Pollard, 57, was sentenced to life in prison 25 years ago for leaking classified documents to Israel. Many Israelis believe the sentence was too harsh and officials often demand his release. Those calls took on urgency after Pollard's wife Esther said he was hospitalized after suffering extreme pain last week. Israel's President Shimon Peres said he would also appeal to President Barack Obama after hosting Pollard's wife on Sunday. Democratic and Republican administrations in the U.S. have repeatedly refused Israeli appeals to release the convicted spy.