Staying Real in Israel
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"The Marty Roberts Show"

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Please, Don’t confuse me with the facts…

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The inevitable confrontation between the Israeli Navy and the so-called “Humanitarian Aid” flotilla of ships on the way to Gaza should take place tomorrow, on the Sabbath. It might be worth your while to understand just what Israel’s maritime blockade is all about before listening to all the media condemnations of Israel’s policy. It just might have something to do with the fact that Gaza is currently under the control of the terrorist organization, Hamas. Israel is currently engaged in an armed conflict with Hamas.

Oh, and by the way, there IS NO humanitarian crisis taking place in Gaza…thanks to Israel. Be brave enough to listen to the facts, presented right here…Plus…Protests against Disney’s crowning of a Jew as Hollywood’s next “Prince of Persia”…

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The Marty Roberts Perspective…

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World's Most Influential Jew?

The Jerusalem Post has published their list of most influential Jews just in time for the Shavuot Holiday. The list IS a bit thin in places, but quite interesting, nevertheless.

Leaders of nations, international economic leaders, philanthropists, artists, jurists, you name it, the Jews are leading the world at it.

International conspiracy? I don’t think so. Really smart Jewish People? You betcha…

You’ve come a long way, Jew-Boy (and -Girl) Marty Roberts dissects the list…

(We apologize for the technical problems with audio quality in today’s podcast)

Reprinted from Jpost.com Steve Linde…Click to read article

Comedy Central recently caved-in to death threats from an Islamic organization and pulled a bunch of material referring to Mohammed from an episode of “South Park”.

Looks like they’ve gone to the other extreme, when it comes to Israel and the Jews…

Check out their website, where an anti-Israel game is appearing, called “I.S.R.A.E.L. Attack”, which, although it has nothing at all to do with Israel, begins its intro with a character stating, “You lied to me, Jew Producer…”

(Click HERE to view the game)

And it only gets worse from there.

Time for the Jews to protest…this has nothing to do with coercing the world to follow Jewish Law OR freedom of speech…It is pure ant-Semitism…hate material…and our children are being exposed to it…

(Click HERE to register your protest…the website feedback form is not working)

“You Lied to Me, Jew Producer”: Comedy Central Shocker

An offensive online game plays on an association of Israel as a child killer

Reprinted from Honestreporting.com

Recently, the Comedy Central TV network censored an episode of the popular South Park cartoon following threats from Islamic extremists offended at the show’s portrayal of the Prophet Mohammad. But while Comedy Central was perceived to have caved in on a matter of free speech, it appears that the network exercises double standards when it comes to producing genuinely offensive material.

Currently appearing on Comedy Central’s website is a game called “I.S.R.A.E.L. Attack!”. The premise of this game has nothing to do with Israel and, as such, is nothing more than an insidious attempt at association. The game’s introduction begins with a character who states:

You lied to me, Jew Producer

referring to a character who has failed to carry out a mission to destroy other child-like cartoon characters. If this piece of anti-Semitism isn’t bad enough, a robot – the Intelligent Smart Robot Animation Eraser Lady – is sent to do the job that the Jew Producer failed to achieve.

The character openly calls the robot by its acronym – ISRAEL – and the association created by those behind this game is unmistakable – Israel the child killer.

The game then involves the robot destroying everything and everyone in its path, including children and animals.

This inappropriate and offensive game, aimed at children as well as adults, should not appear on Comedy Central’s website or any other mainstream media outlet.

At the time of writing, Comedy Central’s website feedback form is not operational so please go to the programming feedback form, select Other in the Topic section and demand that Comedy Central remove this offensive game from its website.

Who in the world are bigger experts on making the desert bloom than Israelis? Who knows better how to squeeze food out of barren landscapes while preserving precious water than the Israelis? Obviously, the answer is nobody. And Israel is working actively to share their know-how with starving African desert nations.

Senegal...One of the Starving African Countries Israel is Teaching to Feed Herself

Look at this glorious way that the Israeli government, in concert with individual endeavors, contributes to saving lives and helping the starving African continent to not only survive, but thrive.

“If I give you a fish, you will eat tonight…If I teach you HOW to fish, you will eat forever”…

Israel helps African farmers fight desert

Having ‘conquered the desert’ at home, Jewish state ready to share technology and skills with African countries struggling to sustain agricultural output due to increasingly unreliable rains

Reprinted from Ynetnews.com Reuters

Having “conquered the desert” at home, Israel is ready to share technology and skills with African countries struggling to sustain agricultural output due to increasingly unreliable rains, an Israeli minister says.

Shalom Simhon, Israel’s minister of agriculture and rural development, said sharing know-how, especially in irrigation and water management, was his focus on a recent tour of Senegal, Ivory Coast and Gabon.

His trip comes as some 10 million people in West and Central Africa face food shortages due to failed rains.

“We are not arriving here in Africa to take resources from the African countries. We are coming here in order to give know-how and abilities to these countries to develop,” Simhon told Reuters in Senegal.

“Israel is the only country in the world that has been able to conquer the desert. More than 50% of our exports are coming from semi-arid areas. This is our strength – this we would like to bring here.”

Simhon said Israel could help Senegal reduce dependence on imports, which currently account for around 80% of food needs. “Senegal’s traditional agriculture is one crop a year. We know how to do three and four crops a year. We can teach that.”

The minister would not give any figures on proposed Israeli aid to African farming or detail the role of Israeli companies in such programs. Already Senegal hosts several Israeli-funded projects looking at using low-pressure drip irrigation to increase productivity.

‘World drying up’

Israeli farmers have been heavily involved in modern developments in irrigation, including drip irrigation systems and water recycling methods.

Some experts believe these techniques could become invaluable in Africa’s arid growing regions, which risk becoming increasingly vulnerable to climate change.

“One of the most important things is the water technology and usage. The world is drying up. There is less water, there is less rain days,” Simhon said.

“In Israel we are using recycled water, desalinated water, rain water, salty water, which almost anywhere in the world we will not have any use for (but) we (use to) make the sweetest tomatoes,” he added.

Simhon said advances in technology had allowed Israeli farmers to use 30% less water while almost doubling output over the last decade, leaving the country with a 150% food surplus.

“We have over-production in Israel. It would have been very easy for us just to load the boat or the airplane … but we think we can do it differently,” he said.

“We are coming with the knowledge, the expertise, with the willingness to share it with other countries,” he added, saying it was up to African nations to establish their priorities and seek assistance that was available.

The United Nations chief of humanitarian operations, John Holmes, is currently in West Africa, seeking to draw attention to the food emergency. The UN called for more efforts to tackle the root causes of the recurring crises.

Ok…I really love Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath…an awesome group of musicians…if you really listen to their songs, you can appreciate the quality and complexity of what they are playing…No kidding…

If you are planning a visit to Israel for the Jewish High Holy Days this year, you might want to include his Tel-Aviv concert stop in your visit…”Tshuva” (repentance) and heavy metal…what a combo…

By the way, I hope Ozbourne will not be violating the (Black) “Sabbath” while he is visiting Israel…

Sorry…couldn’t resist

Ozzy Osbourne to perform in Israel

Legendary British singer-songwriter, known as ‘godfather of heavy metal’, to give one concert in Tel Aviv on September 28

Reprinted from Ynetnews.com Or Barnea

Legendary British singer Ozzy Osbourne is coming to Israel. Osbourne, known as the “godfather of heavy metal”, will perform in Tel Aviv on September 28, according to his official website.

Osbourne is being brought to Israel by producer Shuki Weiss. According to the singer’s website, the concert will be held at Yarkon Park. Osbourne, 61, will arrive in Israel as part of his world tour, immediately after giving concert in Greece.

Osbourne began his musical career as lead vocalist of the Black Sabbath band, which many believe invented the heavy metal genre, years before it became popular. The band went on to become one of the most important and influential rock groups of all times.

In 1980, Osbourne released his first solo album, “Blizzard of Oz”, and began paving his way as the prince of darkness of rock music.

Over the years he got caught in scandals, drugs and alcohol, but did not lose his millions of fans across the world. Osbourne also became a TV star with his own reality show, “The Osbournes”, alongside his wife Sharon and children Kelly and Jack.

If you are an Israeli ex-patriot and have been living abroad for six years or more, here’s some GREAT news for you…

Jews Coming Home

You can come home MUCH more easily, now that the government is going to grant you “new immigrant” status…which means $$$’s for you!

We’re talking serious tax breaks and discounts, as well as awesome health benefits…Time to come home, brothers and sisters…

Returning expats to get immigrant status

Israeli citizens living abroad for over six years will receive tax, health benefits upon return

Reprinted from Ynetnews.com Itamar Eichner

The state is offering all expatriates a “new immigrant” status if they return to Israel, the Immigrant Absorption Ministry announced Wednesday. The status carries government benefits and large tax exemptions.

The number of returning expatriates dropped significantly in 2010 and the plan, devised by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in cooperation with the ministry, aims to bring back at least 75,000 of them from their various locales around the world.

On Sunday the government is set to approve the plan, which states that anyone who has lived abroad for six years or more will be handed the same benefits as a newly arrived immigrant. It has been said to cost over $25 million.

Immigrants arriving in Israel receive three income tax allowance points for the first year and a half of their stay. They are also exempt from sales tax, VAT, and customs on goods for the home. In addition, they receive a significant discount on new vehicles.

The plan also requires a change in the state’s national health insurance law. Currently, returning expatriates are not eligible for health insurance for the first year and a half of their stay and until after they have paid a sum of $2,400. According to the new plan, the waiting period and charge will be waived.

“State support for absorption of returning residents will contribute to the strengthening of its economy,” Netanyahu said Wednesday.

Avi Feldman, who lives in Los Angeles, said the plan was “certainly something that can make me think twice”.

If this isn’t proof that “UN” stands for “Useless Nations”, then I do not know what is…

Out of 14 candidates for the 14 open seats on the United Nations Human Rights Council, SEVEN of them are accused of HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS!!!

Oh, by the way, ALL SEVEN WERE APPROVED by wide margins, and now are sitting on the UN Human Rights Council. How can any sane person give ANY credibility whatsoever to ANYTHING that comes out of that conglomeration of Israel-hating, Third-world banana republics. The “Real” countries are now only a minority in what has become a totally useless…no, make that extremely DESTRUCTIVE international abomination.

The UN should close its doors…not tomorrow, but yesterday…

UN elects rights violators to Human Rights Council

Seven countries accused of human rights violations, including Libya, Angola and Malaysia, won seats on the U.N. Human Rights Council in an uncontested election Thursday.

Reprinted from Associated Press

The U.N. General Assembly approved all 14 candidates for the 14 seats on the 47-member council by wide margins despite campaigns by human rights groups to deny countries with poor rights records the minimum number of votes needed.

All 14 countries easily topped the 97 votes required from the 192-member world body. Libya, which currently holds the presidency of the General Assembly, received the lowest number of votes — 155 — while Angola got 170 and Malaysia 179.

In addition to these three countries, human rights groups criticized the poor rights records of Thailand, Uganda, Mauritania and Qatar which also won seats.

The seven other countries that won seats were Maldives, Ecuador, Guatemala, Spain, Switzerland, Moldova and Poland.

Iran withdrew from the race on April 23 after facing strong global opposition for severe human rights abuses including the government’s crackdown on opposition supporters.

U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said it was “notable … that Iran’s bid fell short.”

Human rights groups and other non-governmental organizations also successfully opposed the election of Iran and Venezuela in 2006, Belarus in 2007, Sri Lanka in 2008, and Azerbaijan in 2009.

The 14 countries elected Thursday will serve three-year terms starting June 19 on the Geneva-based council, which was created in March 2006 to replace the U.N.’s widely discredited and highly politicized Human Rights Commission.

The council, however, has also been widely criticized for failing to change many of the commission’s practices, including putting much more emphasis on Israel than on any other country.

The United States voted against the council’s creation during the Bush administration but reversed its position and won a seat last year after President Barack Obama took office.

Rice cited “some progress” since the U.S. has been on the council, noting its approval of a “milestone” resolution on freedom of expression, its investigation of last year’s massacre and rapes in Guinea, and adoption of stronger resolutions condemning rights violations in Congo, Myanmar, Somalia and Sudan.

“We remain committed to strengthening and reforming this council,” Rice told reporters. “We hope that the new council’s composition for the most part will provide us with partners — not all but most — with whom we can work constructively.”

The NGO Coalition for an Effective Human Rights Council said the failure of U.N. regional groups to put forward competitive slates deprived the General Assembly of the opportunity to elect the most qualified countries.

“Those who want the council to improve have to commit themselves to competitive elections and be willing to compete themselves for a seat,” said Peggy Hicks, global advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, a coalition member.

“Without competitive elections,” she told AP, “we’ll continue to see states that don’t meet the qualifications set by the General Assembly getting seats like Libya, Angola and Malaysia.”

Under the resolution that established the council, members are expected to “uphold the highest standards” of human rights and “fully cooperate” with it.

Hillel Neuer, executive director of Geneva-based UN Watch, which heads a coalition of 37 human rights organizations that campaigned for the U.S. and European Union to defeat Libya’s candidacy, said that “by electing serial human rights violators, the U.N. violates its own criteria as well as common sense.”

“Choosing Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to judge others on human rights is a joke,” Neuer said in a statement. “He’ll use the position not to promote human rights but to shield his record of abuse, and those of his allies.”

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America’s enemies win, while her closest friends lose…

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Obama's Zero Sum Foreign Policy

Reaching out to America’s enemies has become the keystone of the Obama presidency, most strongly towards the Muslim nations. Apparently, the US President feels that the only way he can improve relations with America’s enemies is by destroying relations with her historic and present closest allies, specifically, Israel and Great Britain. Insult follows insult, both to the leaders and people of Israel and Great Britain. Nevertheless. American Jews, in spite of their president’s hostility towards Israel, continue to support Obama at levels greater than the American population at large…

Obama in England

Reprinted from The Telegraph Nile Gardiner…Click to read article

Reprinted from The Telegraph Nile Gardiner…Click to read article

This week, Israel was formally accepted as a full member in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD. Israel is now one of only 34 advanced countries with robust economies that participate fully in searching for answers to global challenges and establishing standards in many technical, economic and social arenas.

Of course, the Palestinian Authority, whose economy is almost totally dependant upon Israel, attempted to block Israel’s entry into the prestigious international body.

Fortunately, as usual, they failed…Fortunate for Israel…Fortunate for the palestinians, as well…Whether they know it or not…

Netanyahu: Entrance into OECD a Great Day for the Country

“This is a great day” for Israel and for the economy, Netanyahu said after the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) unanimously accepted the Jewish State as a member. The Palestinian Authority suffered a rare political loss in its unsuccessful bid to thwart Israel’s bid.

Reprinted from Israelnationalnews.com Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

Israel had been concerned that Norway and Sweden, which strongly support Palestinian Authority demands for becoming a new Arab state within Israel’s borders, might try to block the Jewish State’s bid, but they sided with other member nations in favor of its entry. The OECD stated, “Israel’s scientific and technological policies have produced outstanding outcomes on a world scale.”

Israel’s acceptance is another feather in the Prime Minister’s “economic hat” that he has been wearing since being Finance Minister in the Sharon government. He won wide praise for bringing the country out of the economic doldrums and into a period of unprecedented growth and stability.

The OECD granted Israel “observer status” more than a decade ago, and its efforts to win the coveted position as a full-fledged member culminated Monday. Estonia and Slovenia also were accepted, bringing the total OECD membership to 34 countries.

The new additions “will contribute to a more plural and open OECD that is playing an increasingly important role in the global economic architecture,” OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría said.

“This new chapter in the history of the Organization confirms our global vocation as the group of countries that search for answers to the global challenges, and establish standards in many policy fields such as environment, trade, innovation or social issues,” he added.

The new status formalizes Israel’s change from an “emerging” market to a developed market, which has significance in the financial world. “Over the years, the economies of all OECD countries have benefited in one way or another from the transformative effects of OECD membership,” the organization noted.

It said that “will shortly publish an Innovation Strategy to provide policy makers with a comprehensive and cross-cutting policy guidance package setting out the priorities for structural reforms that can accelerate innovation-led growth.”

Proposed reforms will be aimed at combating corruption as well will assuring high standards of corporate management and narrowing gaps in income among sectors.

Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz commented, “The announcement of Israel’s accession to the OECD is a mark of respect for the Israeli economy.” He said that the OECD “is the most respectable international club a small state like Israel can be accepted into. From what we know about other states, in the years following the acceptance there is a rise of billions of dollars in foreign investments in the state accepted.”

A formal ceremony welcoming Israel, Estonia and Slovenia is scheduled at the annual meeting of the OECD Council at ministerial level on May 27 in Paris.

The Palestinian Authority had told the OECD that granting Israel membership would mean “accepting its occupation of the Palestinian territories.”

Israel’s OECD bid also faced resistance from within Israel. Member of Knesset Ahmed Tibi urged OECD members not to let Israel in, arguing that Israel discriminates against its Arab citizens.

Israeli Medical Care

If you’ve got to have a heart attack, Heaven forbid, Israel is one of the best places in the world to have it…

Low heart patient mortality in Israel

The mortality rate of heart patients in Israel is significantly lower than that of those in Europe, according to a new study.

Reprinted from Innovation News Service

Published this month in the European Heart Journal, the study compares data on medical treatment of serious heart attack victims in 29 European countries.

The Israeli data was collected in 2006 in the Israel Heart Society’s biannual survey of cardiology departments. It shows that 4.2 percent of Israeli heart patients in intensive care died, which is significantly less than the number who died in 20 other European countries that submitted data in this category.

The study also shows that the number of catheterizations in Israel following a heart attack is among the highest in Europe, at 2,726 per million people per year.

The number of intensive care units open 24 hours a day seven days a week for urgent catheterizations is also high compared to Europe and the procedure is provided speedily. Most Israelis (49%) who experience a heart attack are catheterized, rather than prescribed anti-clotting medication. All these factors contribute to the low mortality rates of Israel’s heart patients, according to Prof. Doron Zahger, secretary general of the Israel Heart Society.

Egypt decides to host a conference on blood diseases. Great Idea. So they invite doctors from one of the leading medical “powers” in the region, Israel.
The Israeli doctors graciously accept the invitation, so, naturally, the organizers decide to have top-notch Israeli doctors lead two of the medical education sessions at the conference.
What do the Egyptians do? Announce that, since Israelis are participating in their medical conference, they will boycott it…

Egypt Warmly Welcomes Israelis to Their Country

Having already cut off their nose to spite their face so many times in the past, I would think that this time, the Egyptians will have to find another facial feature to remove…

Oh yeah, by the way, Egypt has long been at peace with Israel…With friends like these…

Professors angry at Israeli participation in medical conference

Professors of hematology at the Qasr el-Aini, Ain Shams and Alexandria medical schools are angry that a number of Israeli professors are participating in a conference on blood diseases organized by a pharmaceutical company and being held in Cairo.

Reprinted from Almasryalyoum.com Abul Soud Mohamed, Mohamed Kamel

Doctor Mona el-Qasas, professor of hematology at the Qasr el-Aini Medical College, said that the organizers of the conference decided to invite the Israelis, “despite our vow that we would not participate in the conference if they were invited.”

“We agreed to participate after the organizers assured us that the Israelis would not be attending, only to be surprised when we received the conference’s schedule by email, indicating that two Israelis would be leading sessions of the conference,” el-Qasas said.

According to el-Qasas, one professor served 17 years in the Israeli army and retired at the rank of colonel, while another is head of hematological research at Tel Aviv University.

El-Qasas called on all Egyptian professors to boycott the conference.

Natan Sharansky: Why Sharon’s Disengagement Plan is “A Tragic Mistake”!!!
“I no longer feel that I can faithfully serve in a government whose central policy – indeed, it’s sole reason for existence – has become one to which I am so adamantly opposed”

Nathan Sharansky

Earlier this week Natan Sharansky, Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Jerusalem in Ariel Sharon’s Likud Israeli government, resigned…

Having opposed Sharon’s “disengagement”/expulsion plan from the start, he finally came to the conclusion that he could no longer be a part of the government executing the plan…

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In his impassioned letter of resignation, Sharansky clearly articulates the reasons why it is folly to unilaterally make concessions to the palestinians without receiving anything in return…

Indeed, he saw US president Bush’s “dream” for the Middle East slipping away, in the absence of any demands for democratic reform in the palestinian society, not to mention no movement whatsoever to eliminate terror and incitement…

Marty Roberts shares this important document, along with the amazing story of ex-Prisoner of Zion, Natan Sharansky, on today’s show…

The book that so captured US president Bush that he invited its author, Sharansky, to a personal meeting in the White House…

The meeting with the busy leader of the Free World lasted more than an hour!!!!

Just about two weeks early, but hey, at least the kitchen is kosher!
President Bush has some words of wisdom for US Jewish educators…
And…The Persecution of Christians in America
Will the Jews (as usual) get the blame?
Why we should NOT…
Plus…Israeli tribe of savages in Colonial America and
travel warnings for Israelis

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Chanukah in the White House

The US President has a few words for America’s Jews…

You keep your identity through Jewish education…

It’s not necessary to suppress the expression of other religions…

Just make sure that you pay attention to your own…

South African Judge Goldstone, author of the lie-filled condemnation of Israel’s self-defense war against Hmas in Gaza, has brought hypocrisy to new heights…

Judge Goldstone..People Who Live in Glass Houses..

And he’s also Jewish, no less…Talk about self-hating Jews…

This guy saw fit to fill an official UN report on the war in Gaza with lies, alleging Israel was guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity, while overlooking the years of missile and rocket attacks against helpless Israeli civilians. Now, it comes out that Goldstone was an active participant in South Africa’s cruel and immoral apartheid regime…that he was personally responsible for sending at least 28 black defendants to their death by hanging.

Shame on you, Judge Goldstone. I was ashamed of you after your report came out, but now…I can hardly find the words…

Judge Goldstone’s dark past

Yedioth Ahronoth investigation reveals man preaching human rights, who authored scathing report against Israel’s operation in Gaza, sent at least 28 black defendants to gallows as South African judge under Apartheid regime

Reprinted from Ynetnews.com Tzadok Yehezkeli

He asserted that Israel committed war crimes and came out against the Israel Defense Forces, whom he claimed violated basic human rights. Judge Richard Goldstone forgot just one thing – to look long and hard in the mirror and to do some soul-searching before he rushes to criticize others.

A special Yedioth Ahronoth investigation reveals Richard Goldstone’s dark side as a judge during the Apartheid era in South Africa. It turns out, the man who authored the Goldstone Report criticizing the IDF’s actions during Operation Cast Lead took an active part in the racist policies of one of the cruelest regimes of the 20th century.

During his tenure as sitting as judge in the appellant court during the 1980s and 1990s sentenced dozens of blacks mercilessly to their death.

This stain on Goldstone’s past kept him from coming out against the death penalty on many occasions and from vehemently criticizing countries who still allow executions. Goldstone didn’t bother confessing and telling about his actions in any of his statements or speeches.

In spite of the economic meltdown taking place right now in Europe…In spite of the stock market collapse on Wall Street in the US yesterday…Israel’s little old economy keeps on tickin’…

Stanley Fischer..Israeli Economy is Strong

Conservative banking regulations and an innovative hi-tech sector…good old “Jewish Sachel”…an economically savvy leadership, headed by MIT economy-educated Benjamin Netanyahu, assisted by Bank of Israel’s Mega-financial brain, Stanley Fischer…A formula for a successful, growth economy that continues to prove itself year after year, even in the face of worldwide economic crises.

Yeah, Israel…

Fischer: EU crisis mildly impacts Israel

Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer said Wednesday that Israel was likely to weather the European economic crisis, and be only lightly affected by it

Reprinted from Jpost.com

Fischer told the Knesset’s Finance Committee that although the dramatic drop in the value of the Euro and the slowdown in the European economy would impact exports to Europe, those may be offset by improved exports to the US. However, if the crisis engulfs the US, which he deemed unlikely, it would be cause for major concern, said the BoI governor.

“Suddenly” the Greeks discovered “the economic data they had been using was wrong. Their deficit stood at 13 percent rather than five. Their fiscal policy was extremely irresponsible, their debt-to-GDP-ratio was 130%,” Fischer said. “Their economy was in deep crisis and they could no longer finance their over-generous budget.”

Fischer also gave his economic forecast for the year 2011, saying the central bank expected a growth rate of 4%, and was updating the forecast for 2010 to 3.7%.

He favorably compared Israel’s unemployment rate to that of the US, which rose from 5% to 10%. Israel’s unemployment rate was just under 6% and are now near 8%.

Speaking before Fischer, Knesset Finance Committee chairman Moshe Gafni opened the session by attacking the detractors of government support for Yeshivot because they are economically unproductive. Gafni said he would go through the budget item by item and see what outlays were economically productive. “Over 60% of the budget is uneconomical,” he told the committee.

“Was the Kibbutzim debt arrangement economical? Are the dramatic subsidies to agriculture? What about the settlements? I will even say the investment in development towns isn’t economically worthwhile.”

“This is an ideological issue,” Gafni said. “Zionism and civics classes are ideological. I’m all-out opposed to the view that only what is economically productive should be included in the budget. It should be taken off the public agenda.”

Gafni also spoke about the low employment rate among the ultra-orthodox, saying, “I have said and will say again it is not the haredim who do not want to go to work, it is the state that does not want them to work, it lies when it says it wants them to work.”