Some Israelis Insulted By Obama Picture

(White House Photo/Pete Sousa)

Israeli TV newscasters Tuesday night interpreted a photo taken Monday in the Oval Office of President Obama talking on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an "insult" to Israel.

They saw the incident as somewhat akin to an incident last year, when the Iraqi reporter threw a shoe at President Bush in Baghdad.

It is considered an insult in the Arab world to show the sole of your shoe to someone. It is not a Jewish custom necessarily, but Israel feels enough a part of the Middle East after 60 years to be insulted too.

Was there a subliminal message intended from the White House to Netanyahu in Jerusalem, who is publicly resisting attempts by Mr. Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to force Israel to stop any kind of settlement activity in occupied territories once and forever?

Whether or not it is true, it shows the mood in Israel. They feel cornered. The reactions out of Israel reflect that feeling.

Netanyahu is making a speech Sunday, in part as a response to Mr. Obama's address to the Arab world last week in Cairo.

Israel's Channel One TV reported that Netanyahu was told Tuesday by an "American official" in Jerusalem that, "We are going to change the world. Please, don't interfere." The report said Netanyahu's aides interpreted this as a "threat."

Netanyahu met with George Mitchell today for four hours in Jerusalem. The State Department announced this afternoon that Mitchell will be stopping in Beirut and Damascus when he finishes his visits to Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

[brianallen]

.... Israel feels enough a part of the Middle East after 60 years ....

And even more a part of it - although one invaded and hostilely and murderously occupied by millions of mooching institutionalized psychopaths - after the almost four thousand years it's been around.

[fred1981]

Obama should push Israel to consider peace.
PEACE is in the long term interest of Israel, Yet Israel being so mighty is blinded to that truth.
Israel should give the god damned native Palestinians a break.

[youcancallmeroy]

In the last two weeks, I have forgotten about all of these dozens of unimaginable horror stories about this Administration and instead have been laughing constantly about one fantastic story. I am still alive to see Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu rub President Obama's, VP Joe Biden's, and SoS Hilary Clinton's noses in the biggest pile of dong created by a free Republic. Little tiny Israel stands up to defend itself and all hell breaks loose. In these long and bloody 63 years, the Palestinians have not once accepted an Israeli offer of permanent peace, or ever countered with anything short of terms that would destroy Israel. I will be laughing for years and thanking God (who is in control) for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. I love this guy and I am not even Jewish.

[kenni109]

I personally do believe that Obama is a muslim, and is doing every thing he can to placate them. He will not even allow the term Islamic terrorist to be used by anyone connected to Homeland Security, anymore. You cannot play with snakes and not get bit.

[kenni109]

Don't kid yourself, that Obama did not know what he was doing, he meant it as an insult to all Jews. He is mean & calculating. No photo taken in the white house of the president, gets published without the approval of the press secretary. As for the joker who said Israel owes her existence, so to speak to the US, here is a thought for you;

Isaiah 49-7
Here is what ADONAI (GOD) the Redeemer of Isra'el, his Holy One, says to the despised, whom the nations detest,(Isra'el) to the servant of tyrants:
"When kings see you they will stand up; princes too will prostrate themselves, because of ADONAI, who is faithful, the Holy One of Isra'el, who has chosen you.
Whether you like Israel or not, according to the Bible it will be to your and my advantage to bless & help Israel in every way we can.
God says "I will bless those who bless Isra'el, and curse those who curse Isra'el. Period.

[yesiam333]

Well.....it's always something.
America is damned if they do and damned if they don't.
NOW I wish he had mooned them instead.

For decades Israel has been like a small child, throwing stones and poking sticks at the Arab world, while all the time they hide safely behind America's skirt. They should not be "nitpicking" our president.
And about the following paragraph:

......"Israel's Channel One TV reported that Netanyahu was told Tuesday by an "American official" in Jerusalem that, "We are going to change the world. Please, don't interfere." The report said Netanyahu's aides interpreted this as a "threat.".......

Well, Israel should just shut up and get outta the way. I'm tired hearing about Israel's demanding this, and demanding that. Jews seem to think that unless a person is Jewish, they don't deserve any respect. Ask their Middle East neighbors, who live next to them, how well Jews treat non-Jews. And if Israel views the quote as a threat, well, they probably deserve to.

[udontnoitall]

What about all the arabs, including but certainly not limited to Ahmadeanajahd, that come right out and say that Israel does not even have the right to exist??? How can everyone be so blind as to where the real hatred is?? It's the whold world, but more specifically the muslims/arabs that hate the jews. Can you please read your history. Regardless of whether or not you are a Christain, you have to at least accept the bible for it's historical records...athiest, at least the intelligent ones that actually study the bible so they will know exactly what they are objecting to do this. The entire Arab world has always hated Isreal and adamantly objects their very right to exist. This dates back thousands of years..Ishmael is the ancestor of the arabs, Isaac is the ancestor of the jews. The Torah explains that God promised the land in question to Abraham's descendants through Isaac not through Ishmael. The Arabs can't accept that, so they will always hate Israel. People who cannot see this, ask yourselves one question...why does the whole world's political pulse still center around a small dusty country the size of some US cities? There's something there, folks, wake up.

[spydyee]

good grief people Thisw man props his feet up on anything you put in front of him. he rides in the presidential limo with his feet propped up on the seat. There is a video out on the internet showing a news reporter that rode with him in the limo and he had his feet propped up on the seat in front of him. There have been pictures of him on Air Force One with his feet propped up. Barack Obama has two annoying habits, smoking and propping his feet on anything they will reach. I hope Michelle makes him clean his own ashtrays and wipe his feet before entering the house so that when he does prop them on something they are at least reasonably clean.

[Part-of-the-solution]

I wish Obama would put his shoe up Netanyahu AS*.
Posted by golfered2 at 1:57 PM : Jun 11, 2009

Amen, Mr. Golfered2. You speak for many of us.

[milkbottle1]

Taliban FM Radio: "The Khans, the Maliks, and Other Tribal Chieftains Who Do Not Take Part in Jihad are Infidels - Chopping Off Their Heads is Sunnah [Prophet's Conduct]"

"A declaration of jihad on [Taliban] FM radio says, 'The Khans, the Maliks and other tribal chieftains who do not take part in jihad are infidels, and chopping off their heads is Sunnah [Prophet's conduct].' It was also announced that those who have weapons, blankets or any other extra things at their homes should give them to the Baitul Maal [Islamic Treasury], and that if such things were later found with anyone, they would be punished according to Shari'a. It was also announced that the heads of those talking against the Taliban would be chopped off."

[milkbottle1]

He didn't care if the Israelis understood the insult - he did it for the arab world - because he knew they did. And the feet on the desk was a slap at americans as well.
He was never vetted - show us the live birth certificate instead of wasting millions of dollars to hide it and the truth.
Mr. Transparency my butt.