White House photo

JERUSALEM – Some Islamic terrorists here are viewing an image of President Obama showing the sole of his shoes while on the telephone with Israel's prime minister as a message of humiliation aimed at Israel.

"This is worse than a slap in the face. It's a sign of humiliation that shows Obama thinks the Israeli government and the Jews don't deserve more than shoes," Abu Mujaheed, the spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees terrorist organization told WND.

"This proves Obama is disgusted with the Israelis. He understands how U.S. support to Israel brought all this hatred toward the U.S. in the world. With Obama's shoes, change will come," he said.

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Abu Ahmed, a leader of Hamas' so-called military wing in the Gaza Strip, commented, "Just as a journalist humiliated (President) Bush with his shoes, this is how Obama is humiliating the Israeli government."

The terrorists were sounding off about an image snapped in the White House on Tuesday of Obama talking with Prime Minister Bejnamin Netanyahu while the U.S. president had the soles of his shoes up on his desk and in full view of the camera.

While flashing shoe soles is not usually viewed as an insult in Judaism, the gesture is among the most insulting in Islam. The image of Obama is being compared to an Iraqi journalist who infamously lobbed his shoes at Bush last year in Iraq.

The image also is stirring some controversy in the Israeli media.

Aluf Benn, a commentator for the Israeli Haaretz newspaper weighed in: "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."

Several Israeli newscasters last night broadcast the image of Obama on the phone with Netanyahu and branded it an insult to the country.

Obama confronting Israel to appease Arab world?

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