One of Israel’s loudest critics released Wednesday what he claims is a previously unpublished photo of himself enjoying dinner with President Barack Obama and controversial anti-Israel professors Rashid Khalidi and Edward Said.
Ali Abunimah, cofounder of Electronic Intifada, a website often criticized for its anti-Israel and anti-Semitic viewpoints, tweeted the photo early Wednesday as Obama began his two-day trip to Israel.
The picture shows a young, pre-presidential Obama sitting around a dinner table with his wife, Michelle, as well as Abunimah, Said, Khalidi, and others.
"Back when this photo of me, Obama, Rashid Khalidi and Edward Said was taken, even I didn’t expect him to be THIS bad," Abunimah wrote along with the photo, implying that he believes the president has been too pro-Israel during his tenure in office.
"In case you’re wondering, that photo has never been published before," Abunimah followed up.
The photo sparked much interest on the social networking site, prompting several users to inquire when and where the picture was snapped.
Abunimah did not respond to these questions or to a Free Beacon request for more information that was sent via Abunimah’s website.
However, the photo may have been snapped at a 1998 Arab community event in Chicago. Abunimah posted a similar photo that appears to have been taken at the same event on his website in 2007.
Obama has faced fierce criticism for his ties to Khalidi and Said. Critics maintain that these relationships are a sign of Obama’s inherent distaste for the Jewish state and its policies relating to Palestinians.
Abunimah’s website is a hotbed of anti-Zionism. He has been criticized in the past for referring to Zionism as "one of the worst forms of anti-Semitism in existence today."
Khalidi and Said are widely known for their anti-Israel views.
Obama came under fire during the 2008 presidential campaign for his attendance at a 2003 farewell dinner for Khalidi.