The White House rejected the appeal by Israeli president Shimon Peres to grant clemency to Jonathan Pollard on Monday, saying its position hasn’t changed, and that the president has no intention to release Pollard.

President Shimon Peres sent a personal letter to President Obama on Monday, urging Obama to consider granting clemency to Jonathan Pollard, citing the convicted spy's deteriorating health.

Peres updated his U.S. counterpart on a conversation he conducted a few days ago with Esther Pollard, the convicted spy's wife, stressing that the Pollard family, as well as the Jewish people, were concerned about Pollard's health.