June 10) - 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


I truly beleive that obama will turn against israel, his agenda for the world is not in our best interest.
whats your take on this story. it can be found at at aol news.

Story Link

I included the link for you. As for the picture, I'm not really sure what to think. He might have known about the implications, or he might not have known. All depends on how he was raised. What is interesting is that this picture was released to the public, rather than one that, let's say, has his feet on the ground while on the phone.

[edit on 11-6-2009 by IKnowNothing]

[edit on 11-6-2009 by IKnowNothing]

I think this is a #ing joke..If my president cant be on the phone in his own office with a foot up or what ever,you had better get a life..# them newscasters..

He does have the right to prop his feet up when he is in his office. But knowing that his picture was being taken, he should have shown more professionalism.

I'm sure when your on the telly talking with a another leader the last thing your thinking of is ''oh I better pose''..Come on the mans job is 24/7..

is this unprofessional?
www.fethard.com...

I have no problem with him putting his feet up on his desk, the problem is he was talking to a Middle Eastern leader and known enemy of Arabs/Muslims while a picture was being taken with the bottom his shoes clearly meant to be seen in the photograph.

He and the photographer had to know how this would look, and if they have any understanding of how the Middle Eastern people interpret such things they had to know that some would take this as an insult.

I'm not so sure it is an insult, as much as it is a subtle message meant for a specific demographic in that region.

Maybe the Israeli's should be upset at the photographer who took the picture or the paper/journal/publisher that released the photo.

Common sense, huh?

To chastise a person for propping their feet up is ridiculous. I guess we'll just have to send them a few billion in "aid" to stop the criticism.

I like Obama, but I totally agree that this is unprofessional. I could not get away with this in my office. Even when I owned my own business, I would not act this casually while having a conversation with anyone besides my family.

It is a show of arrogance and a lack of respect for the other individual. It is a subliminal form of elevating your status above the other person's, and it is an abusive negotiation tactic. It is wrong on a great many levels, not to mention the camera angle and the cultural significance!

reply to post by getreadyalready

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What, how is that arrogant and a lack of respect? The man is talking to somebody else who is thousands of miles away. Obama has the right to put his feet wherever he wants.

So do I, and so do you.

The media is really just trying to land blows at anybody over this issue, or any issue for that matter.

This isn't even news, it's fluf.

Always more of the same.

~Keeper

so wait Israel is part of the middle east community now? i thought they just wanted to own all of it, but now they want to share in their customs?

thats kinda funny....

they are only upset cus he didnt go blow them right off the bat during that speech.

could they find anything else to complain about...

please help us we're dying.... give us land so we can be our own.... we want all the land..... omg why didnt you kiss our *** during that speech.... omg how dare you do something that offends a completely different culture than our own, but we are neighbors, so it offends us tooo for some reason, even tho you were on the phone and not in person and in your own country in your own office thousands of miles away!!

for real... grow up bunch a babies!

maybe he wouldnt have to put his feet up to relax after dealing with all the whining ALLLLLL THEEEEE TIIIIMMMEEEEEE

why dont they go blow up some more schools with chemical weapons so they can feel better... try a few thermobarics for good measure too!



kinda like america getting mad at japan cus they were breaking open pinatas during siesta........ NO SENSE AT ALL WHY WE SHOULD... i dont even know if thats an accurate analogy, but its the best i could come up with.

[edit on 6/11/2009 by mahtoosacks]

Haaretz is not running this story.
JPost is not running this story.
I couldn't find it on their website.

But CBS News is. No wonder who is the targetted audience.
"Some Israelis" and "Israeli TV newscasters" that we will never be able to appraise the credibility, influence and opinion relevance because there are no names and no context.

From this very poor detailed narrative of the events and no surrounding discourse, the author is not afraid to say "it shows the mood in Israel".

All the clues of blatant manipulation and extrapolation here, happily adding fuel to the flames.
Questionable analogy between a photograph of a man putting his feet on his desk and the highly political throw of a shoe. Common point : a shoe. Differences : all the rest.
Laughable comment and justification : "It is not a Jewish custom necessarily, but Israel feels enough a part of the Middle East after 60 years to be insulted too."
Biased undercurrent of the use of freaking psychic technics : "subliminal message" and "Whether or not is it true...". That being candid humor is irrelevant, what is important is the general impress it will leave to the reader.
Inconclusive analysis of the facts : "Whether or not it is true, it shows the mood in Israel. They feel cornered. The reactions out of Israel reflect that feeling."

In the second part, you can read the "real" news. Names, places, sources, context.

The first part of this article is a miserable attempt at public opinion's manipulation.
All of this is an incredible mise-en-scene around a simple photo. Don't be fooled. I am not even sure Obama was really on the phone with Netanyahu at the moment the photo was taken. Anyway, it is of no importance.





[edit on 11-6-2009 by Manouche]

One plus after many minuses for Obama!

So Israel is offended, oh cry me a river. This is just another example of the PC garbage going around. Everyone gets offended over the stupidest of things, but now Americans want to slam Obama for simply putting his feet up on the desk? Who cares what Israel thinks, I'd say send their PM a shoe. I'm tired of everyone wanting everyone to walk on eggshells.

Oh give me a break!
The man looks exactly like he should. Hes the Chief executive.

reply to post by tothetenthpower

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Having been through a great many management courses, negotiation courses, body language analysis, etc., trust that his posture came through in his voice.

Haven't you heard the adage, "Smile before you answer the phone." It translates in your voice.

If you wouldn't do it in their presence, don't do it over the phone. Also, he was not alone in his office, there was a photographer, so this was a staged photo op, those guys don't just drop by the Oval Office!

Staged Photo Op = Intentional, also identifying who he was on the phone with in the article is again...Intentional.

These guys are negotiating the fate of the world on a daily basis, their knowledge is light years ahead of mine, so they are clearly sending an Intentional Message!

I have the feeling the story is being imbellished a bit.

Lets say it isn't. Should Isreal be insulted?

Its easy for us to say no and that it is stupid and childish. We can say that because it isn't our culture. Who are we to say their culture and way of things is stupid?

If they are truly offended, then throw them an apology and move on.

Personelly I would tell them in that photo I was talking to Queen Elizabeth.

reply to post by jd140

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I know...

I think Israel should focus on and get really insulted when and if Obama stops taking Israeli calls altogether.

Hey, where is that classic hole in the bottom of Obama's shoe that was proudly displayed during the election campaign? Talk about staged photo ops. The man loves the camera.

I am eagerly awaiting a photo of the first Presidential turd. I can see a huge market for commemorative paper weights.

Is that gum on his shoe?

Or is it just wearing out?


Comeon .. the camera was staring at his face so he knew the picture was being taken.

He can put his feet up when he's alone, but when the camera is in his face he'd better act like a professional and get some freak'n class. He looks like a slob. Considering that he's late for everything, I'll say that he's a lazy slob.

He knew he'd have a 24/7 job if he got elected.
Now he's gotta step up to the plate and do it.
That includes looking good ALL THE TIME in the Oval Office.

reply to post by jd140

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Whilst I agree this is just another tempest in a teapot, I just don't see how it warrants any sort of apology.

Say, for instance, there's that infamous "3 AM Phone Call" some day? Obviously, there won't be a photog....but is someone going to make an equally inane claim that the Prez 'insulted' someone (whomever) by answering the call in his pajamas (or whatever he sleeps in)???

Do the Israelis have video-phones now? What a 'bleeping' waste of time!

Now, watch this drive!

YouTube Link