Marty Roberts
Staying Real in Israel
"The Marty Roberts Show"

New Show/Podcast!!!

Billions of annual aid to Israel pays off big-time for the Americans…Those who think that America should punish her closest ally, Israel, by cutting off economic aid need to think, and then think again…The economic and military benefits that the U.S. receives from her strategic relationship with Israel FAR exceed the billions invested in the Jewish State…Also…A look at “Arab” East Jerusalem…What is really going on there?…What communities are we talking about, and why do the Jewish communities in the capital, Jerusalem, need to be expanded?…What do the local Arabs REALLY think about the building boom?…All this and more on “The Marty Roberts Show”…Listen to the show below…

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What a bunch of phoney-baloney…As former head of Israel’s Mossad Ben-Levy just said on the radio…Obama and the US certainly know that there is not a snowball’s chance in Florida of successful peace talks with the palestinians. They know that the palestinians are not at all serious about making peace with Israel. But Obama has another agenda, which he clearly stated at the beginning of his term. He does NOT want to be perceived as an enemy of Islam and the Moslem countries, which by definition makes friendship with America’s best friend, Israel, problematic. So Obama MUST be seen as furthering the palestinians’ alleged goal of carving a state out of Israel’s territory, which means peace talks, however futile they may be.
I would assume that Israel’s leadership is also well aware of this. At least Netanyahu is…Coalition member Labor Party head and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak might be another story…

Biden holds Palestinian talks after condemning Israel


The US vice-president Joe Biden is holding talks with Palestinian leaders, a day after condemning Israel’s announcement of 1,600 new homes for Jewish settlers in east Jerusalem.

Reprinted from ABC News Australia Anne Barker

Israel’s announcement coincided with Mr Biden’s arrival and came days after Palestinians agreed to re-enter indirect peace talks with Israel.

The vice-president condemned the decision, saying it undermined the trust needed on both sides. He displayed his anger by turning up 90 minutes late to a dinner with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel’s own defence ministry also blasted the move, saying it would affect peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

Mr Biden has since held talks with Palestinian leaders in the West Bank, who say Israel’s decision is dangerous because it will hinder negotiations.

Palestinians want East Jerusalem as their capital in a future state.

The US has a lot of nerve…not to mention the UN and the Arab League. Basically, Israel building homes for her citizens in her capital is none of their goldang business!!
First of all, Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish state for more than 2000 years. It has NOT ever been the capital of any other country. Anyone can claim anyplace as the capital of their country, but first, they should have a country, and then, it would help if there was some sort of historic basis to their claim…Neither of which is the case when it comes to so-called palestinians and Jerusalem. In case you forgot, Jerusalem is city #3 in importance to Islam…They pray with their behinds facing Jerusalem. Every Jew in the world faces Jerusalem to pray, wherever they are in the world.
Secondly, if you ask the Arabs living in the neighborhood where the building is slated to take place…They are HAPPY to have the additional housing units in their neighborhood. The tradesmen and shopkeepers cannot wait to start earning money from the increased population in their area. I just heard some of them interviewed on the radio, and, although fearful to speak out in public, that is what they said.
Oh, and I condemn the decision by the US government to build new apartments in Washington D.C….Very counterproductive…(even if you Do look cute wearing that silly black yarmulke)

Biden Condemns Construction Project in Israel’s Capital


U.S. Vice President Joe Biden flatly condemned a years-old city construction project in Israel’s capital late Tuesday, saying it is “undermining the trust” needed to jump-start final status talks with the Palestinian Authority.

Reprinted from INN Hana Levi Julian

“I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem,”
Biden said in a prepared statement. “The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now and runs counter to the constructive discussions that I’ve had here in Israel.”

The term “proximity talks” is the new phrase that refers to final status negotiations between Israel and the PA, so called because the Obama administration will now be serving as an intermediary. PA Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas and his aides have refused to meet for direct talks with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other top government officials.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also slammed the government’s approval of the project, issuing a statement Wednesday that said “the settlement activity is contrary to Israel’s obligations under the Roadmap, and undermines any movement towards a viable peace process.”

According to the Interior Ministry, which also issued a statement Tuesday night, the authorization for the project, a plan by the Jerusalem District Planning Committee to build 1,600 housing units in eastern Jerusalem, was routine. Interior Minister Eli Yishai said the announcement had been a “procedural matter,” and not a deliberate attempt to insult Biden or anyone else. He added that he regretted the timing and would have delayed the announcement had he been aware it was coming up.

The project, slated for the hareidi-religious neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo, had been on the table for more than three years, did not require approval of the prime minister, and has been submitted for public comment – a 60-day process. It is still subject to final approval, and still must be reviewed by the committee. If after that process it passes muster, the project will extend the existing neighborhood by adding an access road from the west, upgrading the current entrance road, and adding apartments on the southeastern side. Each apartment will be approximately 120 square meters (1,290 square feet). The total project will comprise some 580 dunams (143 acres).

The Interior Ministry said in its statement that Netanyahu had been unaware of the plan and its timing.

Biden’s statement was issued at the close of his second day in the region on a visit that was promoted primarily as confidence-building mission meant to emphasize America’s support for Israel. “There is no space between us,” Biden told Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during their meeting in Jerusalem on Monday.

The prime minister responded by telling journalists following their two-hour meeting that the American vice president was “a real friend to me, and a real friend to Israel and to the Jewish people.” Biden is the latest in a parade of American officials to arrive in Israel in recent weeks on a mission to keep the Netanyahu administration in line with American policy on Iran and talks with the PA.

Last November, Netanyahu responded to pressure from the White House by authorizing a freeze on construction in Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. However, he was unwilling to extend that freeze to the neighborhoods of Jerusalem that were restored to the capital following the 1967 Six Day War — a point of contention with the PA which has refused to resume talks with Israel until those areas are included.

Dr. Lerner at IMRA said it best. He pointed out that the only Jews that US Vice President Joe Biden’s wife will meet while in Israel are dead!! No problem finding live Arabs to meet though…
An unfortunate oversight??..I don’t think so…
Peace now, baby…..

Only Jews wife of VP Biden to meet are dead?


Who is Dr. Jill Biden visiting on her official trip to Israel and the PA?

Reprinted from IMRA Dr. Aaron Lerner

Dr. Biden’s visit:
Israel: – teachers and children at the integrated Peace Pre-school program
at the Jerusalem International YMCA
Israel: – grave sites of Yitzhak Rabin and Theodor Herzl
Israel – Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust museum
Israel (eastern Jerusalem) – Augusta Victoria Hospital (Jerusalem Arabs)
PA – Al Kamandjati Music Center (Palestinians)
Israel – Bedouin Women Crafts Center in Lakiya (Israeli Arabs)

So who is she meeting in Israel? Dead Jews and live Arabs?]

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Vice President
For Immediate Release:
March 7, 2010

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN AND DR. JILL BIDEN TRAVEL
TO THE MIDDLE EAST

…
Tuesday, March 9th – Jerusalem

Dr. Biden:

In the morning, Dr. Jill Biden will visit teachers and children at the
integrated Peace Pre-school program at the Jerusalem International YMCA.
This visit will be POOLED PRESS.

In the afternoon, the Vice President and Dr. Biden will visit the national
grave sites of Yitzhak Rabin and Theodor Herzl and lay a wreath. Afterwards,
they will visit Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust museum and memorial. Both of
these events will be POOLED PRESS.

In the evening, the Vice President and Dr. Biden will have dinner with the
Prime Minister and Mrs. Netanyahu. There will be a pool spray at the top of
this dinner.

Wednesday March 10th – Ramallah, Palestinian Territories and Bethlehem,
Palestinian Territories

…
Dr. Biden:

In the morning, Dr. Biden will travel to Augusta Victoria Hospital, where
she will visit with doctors, nurses and patients and take a tour of the
hospital’s facilities. Dr. Biden will learn about the hospital’s breast
cancer outreach program and will visit the radiotherapy unit. She will also
visit with children and parents in the pediatric cancer care and kidney care
units. This visit will be POOLED PRESS.

In the afternoon, Dr. Biden will visit the Al Kamandjati Music Center in
Ramallah where she will meet with teachers and students, and listen to a
student music performance. Al Kamandjati provides music lessons, workshops
and music programs including concerts for Palestinian children, particularly
those living in refugee camps and in marginalized villages in the West Bank,
Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon.

Thursday, March 11th – Tel Aviv, Israel and Amman, Jordan

…
Dr. Biden:

In the morning, Dr. Biden will visit Masada, and in the afternoon she will
visit a Bedouin Women Crafts Center in Lakiya. Both of these visits are
POOLED PRESS

In the afternoon, the Vice President and Dr. Biden will depart en route to
Amman, Jordan.

In the evening, the Vice President will meet with King Abdullah. There will
be a pool spray at the top of this meeting. Afterwards, the Vice President
and King Abdullah will have dinner together.

Friday, March 12th – Amman, Jordan

The Vice President and Dr. Biden will visit and tour Petra in the afternoon.
This visit will be POOLED PRESS.

Dr. Biden: Details on Dr. Biden’s schedule in Jordan will be released later
in the week.

In the evening, the Vice President and Dr. Biden will depart Jordan en route
Washington, DC.

The US vice president, Joe Biden, is here, in the Middle East to work on re-starting peace talks between Isrel and the palestinians. He is meeting the palestinians, the so-called “moderate” palestiniian leadership, in Ramallah, where they are about to dedicate a public square to a terrorist that murdered 37 innocent Israelis.
1. What kind of peace partner is this for Israel?
2. This is what you call “moderate” palestinian leadership?
3. How can any peace-loving country be expected to talk peace with an entity that honors mass murderers by naming public places after them?
4. Joe Biden, what the heck are YOU doing visiting this place at this time????

VP Biden’s schedule details: visiting Ramallah day before PA officials dedicate square there honoring murderer of 37 civilians (live internet feed of speech to Israelis)


Thursday, March 11th At 11:30 AM local time (4:30 AM ET) the Vice President
will a deliver a speech at Tel Aviv University entitled “The Enduring
Partnership Between the United States and Israel.” Afterwards, the Vice
President will answer questions from university students in the audience.
The Vice President’s speech will be streamed LIVE at:
www.justin.tv/shimongx#r=w7MdF4U~

Reprinted from IMRA

PA to name square for murderer of 37
on anniversary of her attack


Another chapter is unfolding in the ongoing confrontation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority over the naming of a square after the terrorist Dalal Mughrabi. In December, Palestinian Media Watch publicized that the Municipality of Ramallah planned to name a public square in honor of the terrorist Dalal Mughrabi, who led the worst terror attack in Israel’s history when she and other terrorists hijacked a bus and murdered 37 civilians in 1978. Prime Minister Netanyahu immediately protested to the US and sharply criticized the PA for its intention to name the square in Ramallah “after a terrorist who killed dozens of Israelis.”

Reprinted from Palestinian Media Watch
by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik

The official PA daily newspaper reports today that the PA has chosen to ignore PM Netanyahu’s criticism and protests to the US. Not only does it still intend to name the square after the terrorist, but the date chosen for the inaugural ceremony is this Thursday, March 11, the 32nd anniversary of the terror attack.

Since PMW’s exposure of the story, PA leaders have repeatedly rejected PM Netanyahu’s criticism while defending the practice of honoring murderers, whom they honor as Martyrs (Shahids). PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas also referred to the terror attack as “military activities.”

See the timeline of the ongoing dispute below.

After PMW’s exposure of the PA’s naming of the square in December, Israeli PM Netanyahu protested and condemned the intention:

“Today, and a week ago, senior officials from the Prime Minister’s office conveyed a protest to the US against Mahmoud Abbas… that the governor of Ramallah named a square in her [Mughrabi's] honor.”
[Israeli News Channel 2, Jan. 7, 2010]
“Whoever sponsors and supports naming a square in Ramallah in honor of a terrorist who murdered dozens of Israelis on the Coastal Road – encourages terror.”
[Galei Zahal, (IDF radio), Jan. 10, 2010]

Today the official PA daily reports that the Municipality is continuing with this Thursday’s inauguration:

Headline: “Preparations for inauguration of Shahida (Martyr) Dalal Mughrabi Square complete”
“The El-Bireh Municipality has completed construction work at the Shahida (Martyr) Dalal Mughrabi Square in the Um Al-Sharait region, and has commenced preparations for its inauguration this Thursday, the anniversary of Mughrabi’s Martyrdom. The mayor, Jamal Al-Tawil, said that… this year the municipality will celebrate the inauguration of the Shahida (Martyr) Dalal Mughrabi Square in order to commemorate her memory and her sacrifice as a Palestinian woman who resisted the occupation. City Council member Aida Abu-Ubeid said that the square is considered a symbol of the sacrifice of the Palestinian woman. She also noted that flowers and trees will be planted there, and that a picture of the Shahida Dalal Mughrabi will be placed at the center of the square.”
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 7, 2010]

There has been no public comment from the Obama administration about the PA’s honoring of the terrorist.

Timeline on Dalal Mughrabi Square debate:

Dec. 31, 2009: PMW releases story of PA’s intention to name square after Mughrabi
Click to view PMW’s release of PA’s naming of square after terrorist.

Jan. 7, 2010: PM Netanyahu protests PA’s honoring Mughrabi to the US
“Today, and a week ago, senior officials from the Prime Minister’s office conveyed a protest to the US against Mahmoud Abbas… that the governor of Ramallah named a square in her [Mughrabi's] honor.”
[Israeli News Channel 2]

Jan. 10: PM Netanyahu opens cabinet meeting with criticism of PA’s honoring Mughrabi
“Whoever sponsors and supports naming a square in Ramallah in honor of a terrorist who murdered dozens of Israelis on the Coastal Road – encourages terror.”
[Galei Zahal, (IDF radio), Jan. 10, 2010]

Jan. 11: PA Minister of Culture, Siham Barghouti, rejects Netanyahu’s protest
“Honoring them this way [by naming places after Martyrs] is the least we can give them, and this is our right.”
[Al-Ayyam, Jan. 11, 2010]

Jan. 17: PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas rejects Netanyahu’s protest
“I do not deny [the naming]. Of course we want to name a square after her [Mughrabi]… [We] carried out military activities; can I then later renounce all that we have done? No, I don’t renounce it.”
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 17, 2010]

Feb. 3: Ashraf Ajrami, former PA Minister of Prisoners’ Affairs, defends naming
“[PA] talk about Shahids (Martyrs) is considered, from their [Israel's] point of view, extremism and support for terror… Likewise, naming a square after Dalal Mughrabi is [according to Israel] reason for criticism and attack.”
[Al-Ayyam, Feb. 3, 2010]

Feb. 25: Mahmoud Al-Aloul, General Commissioner for Recruitment and Organization, emphasizes importance of naming
“Mahmoud Al-Aloul, member of the Fatah Central Committee and General Commissioner for Recruitment and Organization, emphasized that it is important to continue commemorating the memory of the Shahids (Martyrs) and the Palestinian acts of heroism, and most importantly the anniversary of the Martyrdom of Dalal Mughrabi, heroine of the Coastal Road operation [terror attack], which falls on March 11th each year.”
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Feb. 25, 2010]

Today, March 7: PA daily announces Thursday’s inauguration of square
“The El-Bireh Municipality has completed construction work at the Shahida (Martyr) Dalal Mughrabi Square … and has commenced preparations for its inauguration this Thursday, the anniversary of Mughrabi’s Martyrdom… City Council member Aida Abu-Ubeid said that the square is considered a symbol of the sacrifice of the Palestinian woman. She also noted that flowers and trees will be planted there, and that a picture of the Shahida Dalal Mughrabi will be placed at the center of the square.”
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 7, 2010

AIPAC

Has AIPAC crossed the line?…Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has enough problems dealing with the Obama administration and the Iranian nuclear threat…The last thing he needs is an American-Israel lobby supporting positions contrary to the current Israeli government…Are there rough waters ahead for US/Israel relations?…Official American policy statements by Vice President Biden, Secretary of State Clinton and others are sending up warning flags…Will Washington wake up in time?…All this and more on “The Marty Roberts Show”…