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Anti-Defamation League leader: AP, Reuters wire photos of Netanyahu ‘offensive’

Jessica Stanton Contributor
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The National Director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) called two published wire photos of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “ugly, disgusting, and offensive.”

The photos, published within moments of each other by The Associated Press and Reuters, show Netanyahu addressing the United Nations and raising his left arm in a gesture reminiscent of Adolf Hilter’s infamous Nazi salute.

“I can’t believe it, if it in fact happened,” ADL National Director Abraham Foxman told The Daily Caller. “I think it is ugly, disgusting, offensive. Strong words to follow.”

The wire photos from The Associated Press and Reuters are in stark contrast with photos of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad this week. In recent days, Ahmadinejad has frequently been pictured by both news wires flashing a “victory” sign.

Foxman described Netanyahu’s speech overall as effective and a “unique history lesson.”

“All these terms — nuclear bombs, fissionable, centrifuges, red lines — it doesn’t mean anything to most people. He brought it down to a reality,” said Foxman.

Netanyahu used a visual aid a bomb to represent how close Iran is to stockpiling enough highly enriched uranium to construct a nuclear weapon.

“He communicated the message of what a red line is. He delivered a message to a lot of people who either did not pay attention before, or did not understand,” Foxman continued. “I applaud him.”

“There’s talk, talk, talk and nobody really remembers what anybody says. They will remember the picture. They will remember the graphic.”

The Weekly Standard first notedthe AP and Reuters photos on its blog Thursday afternoon. “Of the hundreds of professional photos taken at this speech,” the right-leaning magazine noted, “the AP and Reuters decided to push these onto the wire.”

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