It’s been nine months since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regained power and Joe Biden finally met with him. Intent upon denying Netanyahu the optics of a White House meeting, the symbol of the office of the Leader of the Free World, the two men met in Manhattan hotel room during the United Nations General Assembly. And, then the meeting got really strange.

Joe Biden is continuing the strained relationship that his former boss and current puppetmaster Barack Obama had with Netanyahu. Back during Obama/Biden Administration in 2015, Obama refused to meet with Netanyahu when the PM came to the District of Columbia to make a historic joint address to Congress. Our Kim wrote it up at the time and you can read it here. Creepy Joe is continuing this strange relationship with Bibi at this New York meeting:

US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to smooth over months of tensions as they met for the first time on Wednesday since the Israeli’s reelection in December.
The two leaders shook hands in front of US and Israeli flags at the start of the meeting, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York after Biden withheld an invitation to the White House.
Biden said he would raise “hard issues” with Netanyahu including upholding democratic values, amid criticism of the hard-right Israeli government’s controversial judicial reforms.
They will also discuss an ambitious plan to normalize relations between Israel and its long-time foe Saudi Arabia, with Netanyahu saying a “historic peace” was now possible.
“Today, we’re going to discuss some of the hard issues, that is, upholding democratic values that lie at the heart of our partnership,” Biden told reporters at the start of the meeting.
The US president extended an olive branch by suggesting a meeting at the White House in the coming months, saying: “I hope we will see each other in Washington by the end of the year.”

Vague at best, there is a good chance this meeting will never happen. Joe doesn’t like Netanyahu’s proposed Israeli judicial reforms and the expansion of Jewish settlements in “Palestinian” territories.

What I found truly strange is the footage of the meeting where Joe makes the Sign of the Cross and picks at a stain on his britches while Bibi talks. See what you think:

Here is the X from James Rosen isolating the most strange 16 seconds:

BREAKING: Meeting on the sidelines of the @UN in New York, @POTUS — at the outset of remarks by Israeli Prime Minister @netanyahu as the two sat before the U.S. and Israeli flags — oddly performed the sign of the cross, a ritual Christian gesture. Mr. Biden read from notecards;… pic.twitter.com/MmwQHICVAk

— James Rosen (@JamesRosenTV) September 20, 2023

We’ve come to expect the notecards. The Sign of the Cross in front of a Jewish leader, the picking at the stain on his pants, and finally the open mouth stare as Netanyahu is speaking. Here is how the NY Post transcribed the situation:

President Biden unexpectedly crossed himself Wednesday during a one-on-one meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in Midtown.
The 80-year-old Roman Catholic president made the conspicuous hand gesture — touching his forehead, stomach and left and right breast area with his right hand — as the Jewish leader began speaking.
“We’ve been friends for, I’ve checked it, over 40 years,” Netanyahu said, prompting Biden to make the sign of the cross in a possible joke about his own age.
However, the president did not explain his action and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

If, and I mean IF, Joe made the Sign of the Cross at every world leader’s mention of their long friendship or age, that would be one thing. I don’t recall seeing it before. But, before the Prime Minister of the Jewish State with whom Joe has had a strange and strained relationship, I don’t buy it. Then Joe picks at the stain on his pants along with his open-mouth stare, scream disrespect and rudeness.

Bibi saw it. His eyebrow went up. Our friends saw the disrespect and so did our enemies. Joe the Statesmen strikes again.

Featured Image: U.S. Embassy Jerusalem/flickr.com/cropped/Creative Commons