Robert Siegel with Avigdor Lieberman last night in Washington. Photo Natasha Mozgovaya
The Saban Forum, which is named after the ardent Israel supporter Haim Saban, was held last night in Washington. And National Public Radio host Robert Siegel served as a moderator for the rightwing foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman, above. Lieberman, an immigrant to Israel from Russia, has called for transferring Palestinians out of the Jewish state and for Israelis to have to take a loyalty oath to the state. From the event’s announcement:
The 2012 Saban Forum begins on Friday evening with a gala dinner, and will feature a discussion with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman at 6:30 p.m., moderated by NPR’s Robert Siegel.
I can’t wait to watch the session and see how tough Siegel’s questions were. Haaretz’s Natasha Mozgovaya reports:
At Saban Forum, Lieberman accuses Abbas of Palestinian disunity
Avigdor Lieberman seemed in good spirits on Friday night. Opening with a joke, the foreign minister emphatically declared “I am on the right!” when he and NPR radio journalist Robert Siegel sat themselves on stage at the annual Saban Forum, which took place over the weekend at the Willard InterContinental in Washington D.C.
By the way, look who Haim Saban, who gives tons to the Democratic Party, was sitting next to (below). So Bill Clinton should be named the new US envoy on the conflict, as Richard Wolffe and Bernard Avishai have suggested? How balanced would he be? (You can also see Nancy Pelosi canoodling with Ehud Olmert at Mozgovaya’s Facebook page.)
Haim Saban with Hillary Clinton, by Natasha Mozgovaya
P.S. In the wake of the historic Palestinian vote at the U.N. on Thursday, I’ve heard two largely-irrelevant promotions of Israeli culture on NPR: yesterday a story about Jerusalem restaurants that don’t accept the Kosher certification rules, and today a story about Amos Oz and his daughter Fania Oz-Salzberger, writing a book about the Jewish tradition of the word. It really is in the water over there.
zionists & their lackeys in congress can fill their calendars with as many rubber chicken dinners as their digestive tracts can tolerate
no matter
zionist israel’s days are numbered*
a new narrative’s taking over
palestine
reborn
within a year or so
*the entity, not its people
“irrelevant promotions of Israel culture” on NPR have been a regular feature for years now. Anyone hear the same thing for Ireland, Mexico, etc? How many Irish and folks from Mexico are in the states? NPR has been Israeli occupied territory maybe from the time of their birth. More of us have been paying attention to their broadcast from this vantage for the last 20 or so years. Hell even Scott Simon (who I just adore) even repeats the Israeli the unsubstantiated talking points about Iran.
Why is it that they would not send Carter and Clinton to negotiate? Oh I know because Carter actually knows more details than Clinton and would work harder for the agreement to be fair to the Palestinians.
When Bill Clinton was special envoy to Haiti he made sure Jean Bertrand-Aristide and the Lavas Party stayed off the ballot ensuring the ruling elite got their President.
Clinton talks a good game. He’s a cynical hireling of the elite.
He had eight years to come up with a peace in the Middle East. He came up short.
It is becoming more and more difficult to ignore all the prominent announcements of financial support from “American Jewish World Service,” the George Lucas Educational Foundation, and various donors to Yeshiva University interspersed with those serialized nationally broadcast NPR “feel good” pieces about Israel.
Years ago had been reading four different employees at NPR’s complaints and suits against NPR for what they were calling “pervasive cronyism” Who is promoted, who is not. Who gets the host jobs? I had also read that there was an outside group that came in to NPR upon request to investigate these claims from employees, Allegedly there was some report that this outside group did on these claims. When Juan Williams came to Ohio University to speak.. has had to be at least 10 or so years ago I asked him about these issues. He said “someone has been doing their homework” and that all of the above is true. I asked about the report he said it had never been released.
Very interesting info, Kathleen. I’d love to read that report. I can’t stand listening to NPR because almost all of the announcers have this patronizing, bizarre diction that grates on my ears. I mean, compare Siegel’s nasal twerpy delivery to anyone on, say, Democracy Now, just as a voice — do people really speak like this? It’s like baby-talk compared to the Al Jazeera or the BBC. I wonder if you have to talk like Siegel to get ahead at NPR? The photo above speaks volumes and is exactly what more people need to see. NPR is in need of an exposé, and MW is once again banging the door open, well done.
Wondering what Chris Hayes will say this weekend about the UN vote.
Whenever I see Clinton I think Madonna would be the person to play her in a film. My 84 year old mother really wants Clinton to run that age group so wants a woman to become President before they die. When I argue with my mother (which is not often) that Hillary voted for the Iraq war resolution and that according to former weapons inspector Scott Ritter who was in Iraq during the Clinton administration inspecting said the Clintons knew there were no WMD’s. They knew…I believe Ritter.
So hoping the ticket in 2016 is Senator Sherrod Brown. Elizabeth Warren. Or flip the order. I don’t care who is on top. Just think in my lifetime these two are the most progressive yet down to earth individuals we are going to get on domestic issues. Both will tow the line for Israel but what else is new?
won’t whether or not they’ll tow the line for the zionist entity depend upon how successful we (those of us pursuing justice for palestine) are in getting the word out?
Robert Siegel earns $375,655 in salary and benefits per year (near the top) ostensibly as a credible, unbiased news host. I wonder, as a percentage, how his honorarium for this single Saban gig compares to that. I’m sure Siegel will disclose it on the next “all things considered.”
More on NPR…
For a long time, Linda Gradstein covered the Israeli/Palestinian conflict for NPR. She covered (for example) the Palestinian intifada. In clashes between the Israeli military and Palestinian demonstrators, the two sides told contradictory versions of events. A real reporter would follow up and find out who was telling the truth. Not Gradstein. She typically read the press releases of the IDF into the microphone. The Palestinian narrative was slighted, or ignored completely. Even when clashes occurred just a few miles from Gradstein, she wouldn’t actually travel to the site of the clash to talk to people.
An investigation by Electronic Intifada revealed that Gradstein received paid honoraria from Hillel for her speeches, which is in violation of clear NPR ethics policy. See this link
link to mailman.lbo-talk.org
and elsewhere on the web. Just google “Linda Gradstein Israel” and see what pops up.
Linda Gradstein is married to an Israeli, who is in the IDF. His job? He’s a sniper!
This material is damaging to Linda Gradstein’s journalistic reputation. How much of this appears in the Wikipedia page of Linda Gradstein?
None of it.
NPR was hammered with complaints about Linda Gradstein’s biased reporting. I was one of the complaints. I believe she was demoted
Thanks for publishing pictures of the real terrorists.
saw this yesterday on npr blog
link to npr.org
i was surprised they featured Le Monde Diplomatique’s Palestinian Archipelago map. now there is an update explaining it’s an artists rendering.
144 comments.hmmm
Lately I’ve been reading comments at sites other than Mondoweiss. For example, the comments at Democratic Underground illustrate the fact the majority of those who comment have an opinion that is contrary to the AIPAC story.
Today I followed Annie’s link to the NPR site. I basically ignored the story, but I looked at many of the comments. The discussion was more civil than what I see at most sites. Also, the level of information seemed high, although my level is mostly at awareness rather than knowledge. Many of the NPR listeners seem to have information sources other than NPR.
Finally, I note that my opinion about Robert Reich is much lower than my opinion of Jodi Rudoren at the NYT. I often think of personal progress in terms of journeys and destinations. I try to do journeys without having a fixation on whether I’ve reached my destination. It seems to me that Jodi Rudoren is taking a journey that may take her to a non-Zionist destination. It seems that Robert Reich has been in the same place for several decades. He probably has no recollection about any journeys.
I’m assuming you’re talking about NPR host, Robert Siegel, not economist, Robert Reich.
Yes. I was thinking about Reich for another reason as I wrote the comment.
By not abstaining (at a minimum) on Nov. 29 at the UNGA, USA missed its VERY LAST chance to RESEMBLE TO APPEAR that it can possibly be a “FAIR” mediator if it tries really really hard. Note I did not say “UNBIASED”, just fair. Unbiased would be impossible………
Even at this extremely low bar, USA miserably failed the test.
USA has now made itself totally irrelevant. Not only will zionist criminals be brought to the ICC but also American entities like caterpillar as well senators/congressperson who might do things that are prosecutable at the ICC.
We have gained a peaceful, legal weapon to counter the zionist criminal regime. Negotiations can now re-start with some strength as opposed to Palestinians having nothing but to beg the criminal colonialist occupier.
The story of NPR’s ties to AIPAC is well known. Take note that among these Ashkenazis, whether immigrants to Israel or their American counterparts, is an actual Semite, Haim Saban from Egypt.
Robert Siegel is a classical “liberal Zionist” and NPR is a classical “liberal Zionist” media institution.
Zionism has succeeded in moving the “liberal” American Jewish establishment to the far racist and fascist right — but it is still pretending to be an advocate of liberal values.
# Zionist ops
1. Avigdor Lieberman
2. Bill Clinton
3. Democratic Party
4. Haim Saban
5. Hillary Clinton
6. NPR
7. Robert Siegel
8. Saban Forum
How this game is being played: Democrats (“liberal Zionists”) like Hillary Clinton occasionally express criticism of Israeli settlements while doing absolutely nothing to stop them.
No way to be a zionist and a liberal. Just does not work
It’s hard to see how Zionism can encompass decency at this stage.
Nevada Ned,
This problem could be solved be establishing an independent wiki, on the model of Wikipedia, which documents in depth and exhaustive detail the structure of the worldwide Israel lobby.
I wonder if Mondoweiss could undertake this project.
If one wanted to understand how the Israel lobby operates, this would be the first place to look for the objective facts.
There would of course be a well-organized entry on Linda Gradstein.
Regarding a dedicated Wikipedia on the Israel lobby, for example:
The entry on Haim Saban and Israel might include carefully organized lists for:
1. articles on
2. books on
3. key facts
4. quotes by
5. quotes on
6. timeline
One can easily envision the inclusion of at least 10,000 main topic entries for persons, organizations, policies, etc.
The tone of this resource should be strictly cool and objective — no inflammatory language at all — just the plain and carefully documented facts.
If you wanted to know what is going in the Israel lobby, this would be the first place to look.
All the important facts are out there now on the Internet, but they haven’t been organized in a way that makes all the connections evident and easy to grasp.
Perhaps Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer might have some ideas about to get this project in motion?
The archives of Mondoweiss provide a wealth of valuable documentation on the Israel lobby, but the information is disorganized and difficult to access and make sense of.
seanmcbride:
Excellent idea.
I guess money can buy a lot of things from others.
Which is too bad for the Palestinians, but ultimately too bad for the Jews, as well.
What happens when the power starts to flow the other way, and then blindly being against the Jews is perceived as a “good career move”?
I can’t stomach Robert Siegel’s cloying delivery in general. At a peak period during the recent (unresolved) financial crisis, NPR did a cutesy story about “Main Street,” thanks to the way the phrase was popping up in discussions of public opinion. They actually went to a Main Street somewhere. They made time for that, but they didn’t find time (that I heard) to talk to economists who opposed the Wall Street bailout. They chose from a limited range of establishment experts. I didn’t hear any input from Michael Hudson or Nomi Prins or Paul Craig Roberts, or the like.
I largely haven’t bothered with NPR news since then, but I had already been down on it for a while.
What do you think of setting your alarm radio to artificial British accents, bourgeois music, and detached commentary on largescale misery?
The wakeup effect is less instant that hearing ” The LORD…” said in a very loud way out of the electronic box.
Phil,
Lieberman had drafted legislation that required the Palestinian citizens of Israel (i.e. Non-Jews in Israel) to take a loyalty oath to the Jewish state.Those who refused would be stripped of their citizenship.
For the time being, that piece of legislation has not passed.
I think Lieberman is from Moldova, currently a country with very complicated relationship with Russia. Concerning the legislation, it is almost humorous, because it would not require oath from Jews. I guess the idea was to require the oath from new citizens, but some Jews would refuse. Israel as a Jewish state reserves special rights for special Jews, I mean, those who are very, very Jewish, mostly Hasidim, and many Hasidim do not recognize temporal authorities, so they would not take an oath.
That made the project of requiring oaths from Palestinians somewhat awkward. The issue of new Palestinian citizens is solved, they cannot be, even as spouses of citizens, this regulation is quite unique in the world and non-controversial in Israel (all parties that matter support it, and so do the courts). But the issue of treating Jews equally, without special rights for very special Jews is still not resolved.
Weekend Edition Dec 1, 2012
A Compelling, Chutzpadik History Of ‘Jews And Words’
Robert Siegel (in full “thinking America’s” schmaltzy uncle mode):
“So there’s a direct line between Abraham, Moses and Alan Dershowitz?”
Fania Oz-Salzberger: “And Seinfeld and Sarah Silverman.”
link to npr.org
Is it protocol to feature a foreign flag more prominently than the host country?
The photo of Saban sitting with Clinton reminds one of another photo: Uber-lobbyist Abraham Feinberg sitting with Atomic Energy Commission chair Glenn Seaborg.
link to irmep.org
Seaborg had just left the AEC when Feinberg offered him the equivalent of 10% of his annual salary for a single keynote address at the 1970 Weizmann Institute annual dinner in New York. For years, Israel lobby types supported Seaborg, helped his kids get into law schools, and invited him to honorarium-laden speaking events featuring other Nobel laureates (though he turned down the money until leaving gov’t). During his career, Seaborg effectively derailed investigations into the NUMEC uranium diversions and helped launch the corrupt policy of “strategic ambiguity,” or ignoring Israel’s nukes and tech thefts from the U.S. Feinberg was Israel’s nuclear weapons fundraiser in the U.S., and he surely viewed co-opting LBJ and Seaborg as part of the job.
Saban, like Feinberg, gets much more than he pays for from the Clintons. Phoney peace processing, no consequences for illegal settlements, rubber stamp on US taxpayer funded weapons, no prosecutions of foreign agents and espionage.
Just a cost of doing bidness.
self satisfied, supercilious siegel
surefire shomer (see Senator Schumer)
NPR is a Zionist managed organization rather than Zionist owned as is our other big media. When affiliate stations of NPR request listeners to open their wallets and donate, is a great time to remind those begging for your money that NPR’s managers have an obligation to serve their American audience rather than the government of Israel. If enough donor complaints received by affiliates were reported upward, it would have a greater effect than complainers calling NPR’s staffers whose job it is to (tactfully) brush off complaints.
NPR’s financial pivot point is the foundation and large individual contributor segment.
Until 2009 NPR used to identity by contribution range who they were in its annual report. American Jewish World Service appears as a donor of up to $999,999. George Lucas pitched in up to $499,999 in 2009. For many years, the top donor has been anonymous.
link to npr.org
But if you want to see how that segment shifted in 2010, (such as how much American Jewish World Service is now giving, stacked against those dropping out, vs newcomers like Yeshiva University or its supporters), it’s no longer possible. As of 2010 segmented information no longer appears in NPR annual reports:
link to npr.org
In short, if you want to look beyond NPR’s somewhat less-than-diverse lineup of managers, news personalities and programmers for factors contributing to its obvious slant, it’s no longer possible to “follow the money” and determine where the large-dollar financial impetus for Israel-happy news may be coming from.
Wow. Game, set, and match. Thank you.
On Tuesday I think we have a monthly meeting of the local NPR station staff, the board members and a few listeners. If my schedule permits, I’ll complain in person. In the past, the staff has shown great skill in listening carefully, but doing nothing. However, I’ll be curious about the reactions from whoever is there.
I attended the radio board meeting of the local NPR station. I was able to express my concerns about one-sided coverage. I explicitly complained about the actions of Robert Siegel at the Saban event. Now I will also complain to the main office. Given that Robert Siegel is attempting to play a role in Middle Eastern politics, he should be removed from any roles as an objective journalist.
Complaints about Robert Siegel’s journalistic integrity and conflicts of interest should be forwarded to NPR’s ombudsman. NPR does a quarterly assessment about its middle east coverage, perhaps Siegel’s involvement in the Saban forum should be included in that quarterly assessment.
Rusty:
Who is the NPR ombudsman?
There is a form to send a comment to the ombudsman on the NPR website. You can also access NPR’s quarterly reports on its middle east coverage at the website.
Here’s NPR’s middle east coverage page with links to its quarterly reports.
Hi Rusty,
I regards the the NPR ombudsman and it’s quarterly reports, NPR’s ombudsman has washed his hands of NPR coverage like below by by KRISHNADEV CALAMUR. The Response is John Felton does a Quarterly report. The last one was questionable in which it focused alot on Iran and included all “arabs” from anywhere for the Palestinian side while only including Israeli Jews while omitting groups like WINEP. You can sign up to be notified when the quarterly report comes out and it’s worth commenting on the thread because (though NPR ombudsman rarely does anything) they do read them. The Ombudsman actually has a Palestinians/Israel section. But it’s hard to find without relying on Google to do so.
I recommend if you do send the same message to the ombudsman and and the NPR management along to the show. because both Management and the Ombudsman will forward your email under “Contact US” to audience services and you have a higher likelihood of getting a response or being informed with the next review comes out.
The upside is the changing of the commenting system at NPR though bugged it makes it harder for others to drown out user comments esp. on threads dealing with Israel.
“http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/12/03/166450359/europeans-summon-israeli-diplomats-on-settlement-plan#comment-728734553″
RE: “By the way, look who Haim Saban, who gives tons to the Democratic Party, was sitting next to [Hillary Clinton]. So Bill Clinton should be named the new US envoy on the conflict, as Richard Wolffe and Bernard Avishai have suggested?” ~ Weiss
ANSWER: Yes, assuming that the Obama administration merely wants to be seen as supporting the “Peace Process”, but is not really serious about actually finding a solution (which is a very safe assumption at this point).
FROM WIKIPEDIA [Haim Saban]:
SOURCE – link to en.wikipedia.org
P.S. ALSO SEE: “Haim Saban”, by Matthew Yglesias, The Atlantic, June 10, 2007
SOURCE – link to theatlantic.com
P.P.S. AND SEE: “The man with the golden gut”, By Stephanie N. Mehta, Fortune senior writer, 5/01/07
How Haim Saban, a flinty self-made billionaire, plans to turn Univision into the next great network – and put Hillary Clinton in the White House. Fortune’s Stephanie Mehta reports.
ENTIRE ARTICLE – link to money.cnn.com
Haim Saban may have saved the Democratic Leadership Council, but Ross Perot put Bill Clinton in the White House. Running as a more liberal Democrat, Dukakis got more votes in 1988 than “third way” Democrat, Bill Clinton did in 1992. As head of the DNC, MacAuliffe tailored his strategy to pandering to major donors and only funding House races in heavily Democratic districts. As chair of the DNC, Howard Dean re-energized the Democratic base with his 50-state strategy, which is how Democrats retook the House in 2006. Then Obama dumped Dean for Wasserman-Schultz and Clinton-era pandering to big donors. And Democrats are now a minority in the House.
@Rusty Pipes — exactly.
P.P.P.S. AND NOTE: “Obama’s latest UN appointment is calculated to increase US esteem in Europe and Arab world — Not”, by Philip Weiss, Mondoweiss, 9/20/12
SOURCE – link to mondoweiss.net
P.P.P.P.S. AND SEE: “Haim Saban, Bill Clinton to Host Fundraiser for Democratic Convention”, By Ted Johnson, Variety, 5/24/12
SOURCE – link to wilshireandwashington.com
Would Siegel “moderate” a talk by someone who advocated Jews be transferred out of NYC, or anywhere? Helen Thomas, even in the very worst interpretation of what she said, said far less egregious things.
Completely unacceptable.
Complete lack of self-awareness and/or morality on Siegel’s part.
Oh well. Nastygram on its way to NPR and Siegel.
I just watched a broadcast of the Saban gala on C-SPAN. Leiberman was on stage before a worshipful audience which was, none the less, comprised of his American benefactors. His general attitude was dismissive and rude, not humble and grateful. He insulted all the people who asked him questions (Robert Segal, Martin Indyk, Dennis Ross, Haim Saban and the Egyption Ambassador). I sensed a quiet pall had settled on the room as Leiberman rattled on and on about “Judea and Samaria…” “Palestinian corruption…” I think the audience understood that the days of “distinguished statesmen” like Shimon Peres are over. Israel now has Foreign Minister with a maniacal, grinning stare, a wandering eye, a Russian accent, rude and ungrateful manners, and no sense about how late the hour is for Israel.