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JERUSALEM (JPS) — The Knesset sent out a strong call Monday for the release of Jonathan Pollard, convicted of spying for Israel. The matter was raised by several MKs as a motion to the agenda and united the House. Four ministers — Natan Sharansky, Yuli Edelstein, Ariel Sharon and Moshe Katsav — were present, an unusually high turnout.

Edelstein, who recently visited Pollard in prison, said he hopes to see him here for the country's fiftieth anniversary celebrations. He said Pollard had called on Israel to act more on his behalf, saying that the United States will not release him if Israel is not more active in demanding it.

Deputy Defense Minister Silvan Shalom, answering the motions, said, "This government decided to act openly and publicly for Pollard's release. For years, efforts were made more secretly but were not fruitful, unfortunately. Therefore, the government has decided to be more open. I hope that soon Jonathan Pollard will be a visitor to the Knesset as an Israeli citizen."

He said the fact that Pollard had expressed regret for his actions and served 12 years in prison and the regional and international changes that have taken place were justification for a pardon.

Israel set to destroy homes of terrorists

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel's High Court of Justice has cleared the way for the army to demolish or seal the homes of the families of five Hamas suicide bombers.

In its ruling Tuesday, the court rejected a challenge from some of the families regarding the veracity of genetic tests that linked them to the men who carried out two attacks in Jerusalem, killing 21 and wounding some 360.

Two suicide bombers struck the Mahane Yehuda open-air market on July 30, and three hit the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall on Sept. 4.

In also rejecting other petitions from the families, who live in villages near the West Bank town of Nablus, the court said that they had provided food and shelter to the terrorists for prolonged periods before they carried out the attacks.

Foreigners growing in Israeli workforce

JERUSALEM (JPS) — The latest statistics show that there are at least 245,000 non-Israelis in the workforce, compared to 125,000 in 1990, according to the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry.

With a total workforce of some 2.2 million, this means that more than one in every 10 workers is non-Israeli — a foreigner or a Palestinian.

The figures suggest that the number of illegal foreign workers in the fist six months of the year was anywhere between 75,000 and 120,000.

Of particular concern is the increase in the number of foreign home-care workers, said ministry planning economist Benny Fefferman. This number has doubled in the last three years and could reach as many as 15,000 by the year 2000.

Israeli Arabs, Druze want representation

JERUSALEM (JPS) — A great majority of Israeli Arab and Druze voters would like to see a candidate representing them run in the next election for prime minister, a survey unveiled Wednesday showed.

The findings showed that nearly 75 percent of those surveyed on behalf of Tel Aviv University's Program on Arab Politics in Israel, either strongly or moderately supported having an Arab or Druze candidate run for prime minister.

In all, some 600 people, representing a cross-section of Arab and Druze communities, were interviewed face-to-face in October and November. The margin of error was 4 percent.

Those surveyed were asked who they would vote for if elections were held today and the candidates were Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Labor Party Chairman Ehud Barak.

Only 3.2 percent said they would vote for Netanyahu, compared to 52.3 percent for Barak. The others said they would cast blank ballots, not vote at all, or were undecided.

Those polled were asked who they thought would best promote the peace process — Barak or Netanyahu, neither, or both to the same extent? Over 52 percent said Barak and only 3 percent said Netanyahu, with most of the rest undecided.

On the question of the best way to improve their lot, 44 percent said through parliamentary activity, 29 percent said through the forum of the Heads of Arab Councils and the monitoring committee, around 18 percent replied through legal strikes, demonstrations and protests, and only 1 percent said through illegal activities.

El Al's profits fly back into the black

JERUSALEM — El Al reported a marked improvement in the three-quarters balance, with a profit of $21.4 million, compared to a loss of $43 million during the first nine months of 1996, a net improvement of $64 million.

However, because of expected losses in the fourth quarter, the company still expects to end the year with a net loss of $10 million to $20 million, El Al spokesman Nachman Klieman said on Sunday.

The main increase in revenues came during the third quarter, the summer season, which is a traditionally profitable period for the airline.