President Obama's Props Feet on his Desk During Conversation with Binyamin Netanyahu, Showing Shoe Soles, Some Israelis Irked

Suddenly the Israelis have become sensitive to what goes on in America? Do these people really think they can dictate what we do here in the United States? There is a ridiculous controversy brewing over President Obama showing the soles of his shoes while on a TELEPHONE conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Big deal. White House photographer Pete Sousa on Monday snapped a photo of the president while he talked on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Seeing the soles of President Obama's shoes are the least of their worries. You see, they need to come up with a peace plan to live with the Palestinians, instead of acting as though they have sole claim to that land they occupy.

As you can see, in the photo, the president has his feet propped up on a desk inside the Oval Office, and a number of Israeli newscasters last night called the posture insulting, since in many Arab countries, it is considered an insult to show someone the sole of your shoe. Why so thin-skinned? This is actually laughable. President Bush has shoes tossed at him, and the reaction from Israel is nonexistent, so why the dust-up now? All I can say is that President Obama is the one holding the ace cards in his back pocket. Israel needs America more than America needs them.

While the shoe-sole taboo is not a Jewish custom necessarily, the reaction to the photo is a telling indication of the way some Israeli commenters are adjusting to the new U.S. administration's approach to the Middle East.

It was widely reported in the both Israeli and U.S. press after Netanyahu's visit to Washington last month that meetings between the two leaders had been tense, and President Obama's speech in Egypt last week also raised some eyebrows in Israel. An article in Haaretz - which, incidentally, is considered to be one of the more liberal-leaning Israeli dailies - interpreted the photo like this:

A photo released by the White House, which shows Obama talking on the phone with Netanyahu on Monday, speaks volumes: The president is seen with his legs up on the table, his face stern and his fist clenched, as though he were dictating to Netanyahu: "Listen up and write 'Palestinian state' a hundred times. That's right, Palestine, with a P." As an enthusiast of Muslim culture, Obama surely knows there is no greater insult in the Middle East than pointing the soles of one's shoes at another person. Indeed, photos of other presidential phone calls depict Obama leaning on his desk, with his feet on the floor. Source: Huffington Post

Talk about arrogance! Sorry, if I were President Obama, I would shrug my shoulders and remind them that a peace plan from their government needs to be on his desk sooner rather than later.